The Hero Living Within
by Eddywan
Summary: Link's former selves combine power to end the evil once and for all! But what if there is more to this than meets the eye? Please review! I'd love to know what you think.
1. The Beginning

This is the first story I have submitted to this site; Please judge with that in mind. 

Disclaimer: None of the characters, places, or objects described in this work of fan-created literature are the property of the author, unless they aren't already copyrighted...At which point I totally stake my claim on them. Otherwise it's mostly Nintendo.

Set in the realm of Twilight Princess, but sort of an alternate reality where none of that ever happened/happens.  
(Seperating Line)

Escape. He didn't know why, but the young man awoke with a powerful urge to run from the place he was living. He didn't have a dream, and was in fact still laying in the same position as he had layed earlier in the night. A sudden, powerful urge to run far away was all he could feel within his mind. Without a word, without another thought, he leapt from his bed, grabbed his sword and shield, and stormed out the door.

As he went down the ladder quickly, he heard a rather piercing scream, almost certainly a woman. Still, that urge to escape fueled his motions and he could not afford to check it out. 'Escape...Get away from here...' His thoughts were loud, and not seemingly belonging to him, and so he had little choice but to obey. With his wooden shield and moderately well made sword, he dropped from halfway up the ladder. Escape.

He had never been so frightened in his life, and for reasons he could not explain, this feeling only grew. Another scream, this time a man, followed quickly after by a massive crash. A home being destroyed, the youth managed to think aloud over the sudden rush of thoughts within his head. He turned to run as he gained his footing after dropping from the ladder, leaving the village behind without another thought. He had no time to look for his horse; the fear continued to grow. Whatever was causing it was coming closer. He had to escape.

A roar unlike anything he had ever heard came to his ears just as he took a few strides away from his tall home. He turned his head to look at the sound, which was quite close to him, and its source was something unimaginable. Tentacles everywhere, it was a green color, but much lighter than the forest he now tried to flee to. He could not make out a face or any humanoid features. The creature set unseen eyes upon them, and for a brief moment the youth was frozen in complete terror, eyes fixed on the flowing, wiggling form of the ball of tentacles. Escape. Escape! ESCAPE!!

His legs wouldn't move. His mind was screaming at him for being so stupid as to look at something that monsterous without fleeing, but something else within him told him to stay where he was. He turned, trembling with fear, and drew his sword and shield. He gulped hard, choosing to obey the minor thought within him. As opposed to running, he now needed to fight. He knew he would be torn to shreds by the beast, as it now seemed fully intent on him, but something within him clicked, and he was no longer afraid. He heard himself let out a massive yell, and charged for the beast.

He blacked out before swinging his sword.

(Somewhere Else)

"Master, you may wish to see this..." An elderly man in a purple robe carrying something similar to a crystal ball approached the dark-caped figure, a slight look of disbelief in his eyes. "He has failed the test."

The dark skinned man stood silently, lifting a hand toward the elder and curling his finger to urge him to step closer. The robed one gulped slightly and moved closer, handing his master the crystal ball and backing away in anticipation of his wrath.

The larger of the two wore dark armor and a dark cape, face and all other features hidden beneath a particularly wicked looking helmet. Intricate gems and patterns were fused to the armor, giving it a look of royalty. He turned his bulky form to face the elder man as he gazed into the ball at the grisly sight it revealed. "So...He was not powerful enough..." The smirk on his face was palpable, though not seen, as he spoke his next words. "Very well, I shall find a more suitable foe."

(Back to the Village)

He awoke once more, smelling blood. Alot of blood. He immediately looked down at himself to check for injuries, and gasped in utter shock. The daylight now showing proved he had been unconscious for a long time, and he had a perfect view of his clothing in the illumination.

He was completely unharmed.

The creature from the night, on the other hand, was not so lucky. The blood he could smell was clearly that of the tentacled beast, as there were remnants of the horrible thing scattered all about the small circular area that his house made its own home in. Some of them were still twitching, and the blood seeped from wounds on them freely. "Did I...do this?" The youth managed to choke out words, his throat dry.

Last night, he had heard screams. Today, all he heard was silence. He lifted himself to his feet, lifting his sword and shield as well, noting the rather surprising state of his blade. It was completely clean as well, as if it hadn't been used in ages. He didn't want to think about it too hard, so he put the shield and sword in place on his back and took a deep breath. He needed to see the state of his village...

(Seperating Line)  
That's the first chapter, feel free to review but please don't be too harsh. I'll probably continue this story regardless, but it would be nice to get some feedback.


	2. The Aftermath

Well, I went ahead and typed up another chapter, realizing that I should have kept going. I need longer chapters, methinks.

Also, you only need one disclaimer for an entire story, so let's get this going.  
(Seperation line, since my hyphens don't show up for he moved toward the village, something in his gut wrenched him into submission. He stopped running to put his hands on his torso, some unknown pain flowing through him. He had a sinking feeling that he knew what it meant, but still he must see. He continued taking steps toward the village through the small path that linked it to his home's little grove. As he rounded the end of it, the pain in his stomach continued, particularly upon seeing the destruction.

Almost the entire village was in ruins, and what was still standing was quite well drenched with the blood of those who once lived there. He fell silently to his knees, turning his head over his shoulder to glance at the resting place of the deadly creature. He wished he could have felt its pain as the tentacles were torn from its body. He wanted it to suffer, and he's sure that it did, but he thirsted for revenge. He wanted to know what the beast's dying sound was. The situation had him in shock from before, else he likely would have taken the destruction much more emotionally.

To him, this was more of a nightmare than anything he had ever experienced. The entire village? No, it wasn't possible. He had to be sure of the complete distruction, for it's possible that some survived. First, he decided to hurry to the Mayor's house, or what still remained of it. To his surprise, he found no bodies along the way. 'So they were either eaten or completely demolished.' He gulped at the statement he made to himself, even further disturbing was the fact that he wasn't turned away by the blood. Sure, he had seen blood before, but nothing of this magnitude, and certainly not the blood of his friends.

'I suppose there is no time for grieving just yet. I can't assume that this attack was an accident...There's no way into the village from the direction it came from.' And so he came upon the Mayor's ruined home, finding the large man to be the only human body in the village. He blinked a few times, wondering if the creature knew of his status and left him intentionally. The youth was stirred from his thoughts by the coughing of the Mayor.

"L-Link? Is that you?" He was struggling to speak, and Link looked on in surprise. He knelt beside the Mayor and held his head up a bit to make it easier to speak. "You survived...Good...At least someone did." He looked grimly to the surrounding destruction. "It was awful." Another cough escaped the gruff man, sounding as if there was liquid of some kind in his throat. Blood, no doubt.

"Yes...I survived...But what was it?" He was speaking calmly, something he never thought he could do in such a situation. Regardless of the sudden deaths, and the complete destruction, he was completely focused. It was almost as if he were incapable of fear, but he knew that was not the case. The wrenching of his stomach despite his apparent calm gave him enough of a hint that he was still himself. Perhaps his adrenaline was merely making things clearer for the moment.

"I cannot say, Link. It was unlike anything I've ever seen before..." The Mayor continued speaking, though as ragged as he was, the words were somewhat difficult to understand. "Where did it go?" His words were solemn, as if he expected to hear of a path to future destruction at the thing's hands. Link narrowed his eyes somewhat, remembering the night before.

He had charged, yes, but did not feel a blow. He was unconscious, and he specifically remembered losing his sight. Before he knew it, the creature was dead and the morning had come. "I don't know how, exactly, but the beast has been slain." He took a moment to look at his own left hand; The one he held his sword in. He looked long and hard, expecting his palm to somehow give him answers. He heard another cough, sounding more like a gag, and turned his attention to the Mayor once more.

"So...I see..." He looked into Link's eyes, and before another moment even passed, the larger man suddenly fell limp. Link had to think for a second, suddenly realizing that the last one from his village had just died in his arms.

Link knelt beside the man for a while, frozen in thought. 'Why did this happen?' Suddenly, he was aware of his despair once more, taking a brief look around at the bloody massacre. He found himself falling forward to his hands, staying there on all fours. Before long, he began to let his emotions loose, now that none were around to see. Tears fell, and a massive cry of pain was heard by the ruined village and its calm river.

(Darkened Chamber)

"Yes, a more powerful foe is needed." The man in the dark, royal armor crossed his hands behind his back, thinking long and hard before speaking once more. "Grindol, have you any other suggestions?" He turned to face the feeble old man in the purple robe, eyes glowing a soft red through the slit of his helm.

"Well, Master, I was certain that the beast would be enough. I haven't thought much on any other possibilities." Grindol replied fearfully, trying to explain himself as best as he could. He didn't like it when his Master looked at him that way. "Although I suppose we could-" He was cut off, an armored hand closed around his throat.

"Grindol, I do not like it when you're certain. You should never assume that your miniscule creations will get the job done, and you should always strive to make them better. Whether you were certain or not, the beast failed." His hand often gripped the older man by the neck, delighting in the squirming as he lifted Grindol off the ground. After another moment, he dropped the fragile wizard to the floor and turned back to an empty corner of the room. Candles provided the only illumination, and it wasn't much.

The robed Grindol rubbed his neck, letting out a few dusty coughs of old age. "Yes...yes of course..." He looked to the ground, afraid to see his Master at the time. He thought long and hard, but his thoughts were broken by the deep voice of the armored man once more.

"Now, have you got any other suggestions?" The voice was calm, a quality that Grindol hated above anything else. He never showed anger, sadness, or frustration. He was always calm, calculating his moves before they were ever made. Planning ahead three steps where all else would stop at two; He was the Master for a reason, and Grindol both respected and hated him for it. He still coughed, unable to form a complete sentence right away. The candles got a bit brighter, possibly due to a rising impatience in their Master.

"Perhaps you should confront him yourself, my lord..." He muttered to himself, his head turned away defiantly. He had witnessed the raw power of their target through his seeing orb, and had a strong desire to see his master fall. He wanted more than anything for his lord to face such a power, and meet his equal at last. He wanted his freedom, and ever since he was enlisted as the head wizard, he had none.

"Or perhaps you should go, Grindol. A better assessment is needed, and if you do not think of something soon, I will be forced to find a new wizard. I know you're not a match for this one. You know it just as well, I think. You also know that you're no match for me. Now find something that is capable of deafeating him, and do not defy me again." He turned to walk out of the candle-lit room, on some agenda of his own. Grindol hated the man, but was far too frightened to tell him so. Like an obedient servant, he set his mind to work thinking of another alternative to the beast he sent.

(Back at the Village)

After some time grieving the loss of his entire community, Link realized that it was pointless. They were gone, the entire village and all of the people in it. He could not stay here any longer, for there was nothing else for him to do about the situation. He stood shakily, sword and shield crossing his back as he numbly turned to walk out of his village. He had never been to Hyrule before, but there was no other option.

He continued on in a daze, all the familiar woods he passed through seeming alien and uninviting. His eyes remained forward, his legs moving steadily without permission from his mind. It was as if he were in a trance. The tunnel he moved through made it hard to see, but he continued walking without fail. His thoughts were focused on self-pity. 'Why did I survive? Why couldn't I die with the rest of them? I'm alone, now, and may stay alone the rest of my life...' The light on the other side of the tunnel would normally give him a warm feeling of hope, but today it seemed to mock him. The light that no longer existed in his life.

As he reached the border of his beloved comfort zone, he continued walking. Without any sort of map or knowledge of where to go, all he could do was move forward into the massive kingdom of Hyrule. Perhaps he could find hope there.

(Seperating line again)  
Well, that's chapter two. I'm somewhat new to the whole concept of writing on the internet, so please give me input where necessary. Refrain from being too harsh though, I should still be regarded as a beginner. I do hope it's likable, though. 


	3. Second Coming

Okay. Third chapter with only one review. If you read it, please leave a review. I'd like to know how I'm doing.

(Seperation)

Grindol was hard at work, etching intricate patterns into the stone of his small work room. The candles were snuffed, as any foreign light source may interfere with the delicate magic he was about to tap into. He worked only with his own natural vision, and it was enough for the trained wizard to get the job done. After a large, multi-layered circular pattern was finished, he stood and admired the work. He pulled his hood over his head for a small degree of protection from the dark forces about to be unleashed.

Uttering phrases incomprehensible to human ears, he put his hands over the pattern. As he spoke with his eyes closed, the etching slowly began to light itself up, as if a luminous purple liquid were seeping up through the floor to fill the engraved stone. His voice gained more power, became stronger, as the light intensified. He lifted his arms to finish the spell, and yelled a final inhuman phrase.

The pattern flared brightly once more, and then the light within it rose from the floor and hovered above it in the shape of a ball. The energies swirled for a brief time before taking shape into something monstrous. This creation had a bit more of a humanoid shape to it, something similar to a Minotaur. The bull's head shook as the form still held its purple glow. The hoofed feet stamped a few times on the ground, the silent magic working to give the beast flesh. As all of this unfolded before him, Grindol smiled at his handiwork.

The tentacled beast was powerful, yes, but it had no controlled strength. It lashed about every which way, with no focus and no intelligence. This new one was different, able to analyze the situation and act accordingly. Human-like hands would allow it more versatility in combat, and the powerful legs combined with the sharp horns atop his head would make for a strong force of impact. "Yes...You will do quite nicely..." The old man spoke softly, waiting for the magic to complete his latest abomination.

(Back to Link)

As he walked, he observed his surroundings. He had never seen this field before, and so it was only logical that he try and learn its layout as best he can. He had heard of a village near his own, and figured there was no better place to go to sort out his future. The sword and shield, and his clothing, were all that remained of the village, and it pained him to think about the presence of it all on him.

He reached a narrow path, which he assumed lead to the village he sought. He entered the passage and walked along, finally reaching the mouth of it and emerging to a welcome sight. Kakariko Village seemed peaceful, with a pleasant air of tranquility. He looked around, noting the spring to the side and the layout of the buildings. It was all very different from his own home, but he couldn't burden himself with those thoughts any longer. He had to move forward.

There were very few people on the dusty main road, which struck him as somewhat odd. Then again, he wasn't familiar with these people or their habits, which was something he needed to fix. He approached the nearest person, a darker skinned man standing outside of what appeared to be a shrine. "Excuse me...I'm new to this region. Is this Kakariko Village?" He addressed him with respect, hoping to make a good first impression to possibly score a bit of help.

The taller man looked down on him, narrowing his eyes somewhat. "Yes, it is. May I ask what you need here?" His voice was gentle, but cautious. He wore a robe that seemed to signify his status as a priest of some sort, likely the one who looked over the shrine.

"Well, I don't have a home of my own any longer..." Link trailed off, unable to make eye contact with the Shaman as he recalled the fresh incident. His eyes, to the other, seemed filled with despair, but something about him was different. Something within him inspired the Shaman, and that was uncommon.

Without any further thought, he asked a question. "Your name...Is it Link?" His eyes were focused, seeming a bit more intense than intended. Link was shocked for a moment, having never spoken to a Shaman before and assuming it was just his power.

"Yes, my name is Link. Impressive that you knew it without asking. Can you read my mind?" His eyes lit up a bit, seeming to be a child to the dark skinned man. To Link's dismay, the other shook his head slowly, putting sleeve-covered hands on the youth's shoulders.

"Link, it is an honor to meet you. Truly it is. Few people understand just what your name signifies, and such a name can only mean that you are destined for great things. You are welcome in this village for as long as you wish to-" suddenly, his words stopped, and he looked to the sky. "Dark magic...It approaches us quickly."

Link stood for a moment, the character in front of him sending him on a practical roller coaster ride of reactions. Shock, disappointment, mystification, and finally...fear. Once again, he was afraid. Dark magic is something he knew nothing about, but from the name alone he was certain that it meant nothing good. The look on the tall man's face solidified that belief, and the fear in Link's heart began to swell as the sky grew darker, and something large fell from the black expanse that once held a radiant blue hue.

(Perspective Switch)

The old man before him tested the creature's patience, as he was eager for conflict. He knew nothing of the outside world, didn't even know what he was or how he came to be, but he knew his mission. He was to kill the young man going by the name of Link. As the elder spoke in words that held no meaning, the beast awaited transportation. He knew it was soon to come, as he felt lighter, and he stamped his hooves in anticipation of the sudden change. He knew how all this worked, although his life had only been in existence for moments.

He was grateful for the instantaneous motion, suddenly placing him above a small village filled with shocked gazes in his direction. He fell as soon as he came into being, bracing his legs to land perfectly on the ground a few feet away from an oddly dressed pair of people. One held the sword and shield he somehow recognized, which meant that it was the one he needed to slay. The beast towered over them, easily tripling their height. His bovine features twisted into a smirk. "Link...I've come to destroy you." He huffed, flaring his nostrils and hunching over for an immediate charge.

(Switch Back)

"Link...I've come to destroy you." Before Link could even react, the bullman was charging for him from a short distance away. He dove to the side, much to the dismay of the shrine behind him which took a massive blow from the weight of the beast. The entire front part of the dome crumbled under the force, which made the Shaman quite ornary.

"Foul beast, created of dark magic, you are not welcome here!" The oddly robed man raised his arms and shouted words of no meaning, words which Link could only assume had magical properties. The beast paid the taller man no mind, turning from the rubble to face his target, not even thrown off balance by the massive impact with the shrine. Hewas drawing his sword and shield in preperation for combat, but had a thought.

He had never actually fought for his life before; not that he knew of. The tentacled creature was the first thing to trigger his baser instincts. Fight or flight, as they're called, and he was unable to make up his mind. This time, he knew the beast was after him, and so he knew the village was at risk so long as he was near it. Without a moment's hesitation, he made the decision to run away from the village. Just as he turned, he heard a massive crack, much like a bolt of lightning, which is exactly what he saw as he set his eyes on the bull.

The Shaman obviously had a good deal of power, but the bull didn't even seem to notice the massive electrical charge sent through his body. He was determined to impale Link on his horns, and he didn't even turn to show his annoyance at the Shaman. It was at this point in time that Link turned and ran out of the village as fast as he was able.

Out into the open field, he was pursued by the bulky beast. With its size, it took a moment to maneuver through the tunnel leading out of the village, which bought Link a precious moment to think on the situation...Although it did him no good, for when the bull emerged and began to charge, there was only a split second left before Link would be fatally lifted by the thing's horns. His vision went black.

(Perspective switch)

The tiny corridor was an annoyance that the creature didn't expect. Of all things that would be a hindrance to him, it was the one thing he was not equipped to handle. Lightning had been anticipated, as the man who created him obviously knew much of the Shaman who occupied the village. His horn absorbed most of the energy, diminishing the massive strike to little more than a tingling sensation through his body.

But no, the corridor was getting on his nerves. Just when he thought it was going to last for a while, he came out into the clearing, spotting the young man who was his target. He grinned again and immediately began to charge. A frightened child, it seemed, was the one that his creators were afraid of, as he turned away and held the tiny shield out to absorb the massive impact.

The moment the bull's horns should have splintered the shield, he suddenly felt an extra weight atop of his horns. He stood upright and looked around for the coward, but saw no sign of him. He heard a grunt and looked up. The boy was climbing on top of his head by way of the horns!

"Gah! What are you doing!?" He was shocked, to say the least. The focused actions of this young man were not the type of thing he expected from the cowardly sight he saw. He thrust his hand up to try and snatch him off, but felt a sudden loss of weight along his hand, preceded by a small battle cry.

He brought his hand down, taking a brief moment to register the pain as his fingers were severed in a clean motion. A roar of frustration escaped the beast as threw himself into a frenzy trying to shake the burden from his head. He was completely unsuccessful, and felt a sharp object slide through his snout and come out through his bottom jaw. Another roar was muffled by his mouth, unable to open it as the sword held it in place.

No, this was not supposed to happen. The boy was a coward, he fled the beast's presence without a single ounce of courage. This man atop his head, it was not right. Something must have happened, and all this thought was within the bull's head as he tried to roar in agony. He lifted his head, prepared to ram it into the ground to crush the youth. As he thrust down, he felt the youth jump off nimbly just as he met the ground with his horns. He then felt a severing of his horns, now lying useless in the ground, the sword removed from his mouth at the same time the youth leapt.

"No, you are not going to make a mockery of me!" The beast was bleeding, missing four fingers, barely able to move his mouth, and de-horned but he was still going to kill the little bugger. He roared once more, running as hard and fast as he could toward the youth, now standing a good distance away. Through his blurred, enraged eyesight he noticed the boy bringing his sword back in preparation for a swing, but it was too late to stop. As he was only a step away, he heard another battle shout and felt a cool breath of air against the front of his neck.

Suddenly, the creature of darkness knew nothing more.

(Back to Link)

He awoke on the ground, staring into the sky. It was blue once more, and he was once again in shock, seeing the severed head of the massive beast mere inches away from him. He once again looked to himself and found no injuries. His sword was clean and his shield was undamaged, much to his complete disappointment. He apparently slew a terrible beast once more, not even taking an injury of his own. He didn't know how such a bloody sight could leave his sword without any sort of mark or stains. Even if it were cleansed of the taint, there would still be something remaining. It was almost as if the sword weren't used at all.

He stood slowly, disoriented by the sight. There were horns planted in the ground, and fingers laying severed a few meters from the body. "This is disturbing." He uttered the words to himself, putting his unused sword and shield back into place. He needed to ask the Shaman about this.

(Ending Line)

Okay, if you've read this far, please leave a review. I'd really like some feedback and so far only one person has given it. I don't know if it's good or not because nobody is telling me. 


	4. Things to Come

Chapter 4, and there's still only one review. Please, if you read it, send a review. I know more than one person has read it. (And to that one person, I appreciate your input.) So please, even if you don't like it, let me know why. I need some sort of feedback, and it's beyond discouraging that with 45 hits I only have 1 review.

(Seperating Line)

Grindol was once again at his Master's mercy. "You've failed me again, and I don't like it." The calm, chilling voice echoed in the small chamber. Grindol's etching was still fresh in the stone, and his Master looked at it with those burning eyes. "I will give you another chance, and then it is you who must face him. I demand results, not corpses. The boy should not be such a threat that with your power you cannot think of something strong enough to -scratch- him."

The emphasis in that last statement scared Grindol more than any dark magic possibly could. The Master's calm demeanor was peeling away, clearly not a good sign for the aging wizard. He needed time to think, but with the Master in his room he could do nothing but sit and listen to the words directed at him. "Master, if I may request a bit more time to think about the situation. The boy does not know the source of these attacks; You are in no danger."

The armored hand went to the older one's throat immediately, though the voice it belonged to sounded as calm as ever. "Do not doubt my power, mongrel. The boy poses no threat to me, I simply want to confirm a few things about him before I carry out my intentions." He released the robed wizard's neck, letting him drop as he had so many times before to the cold rocky floor.

"Yes, my Lord...Of course he is no match for you, I was merely telling you that there is no reason to rush this. I need time to devise a suitable foe. It's been said that you cannot rush genius." He coughed a few times, pounding his chest forcefully to push the air out. He stayed on the floor; To rise would be an act of defiance, and the last time he did such a thing was the last time he stood without magical assistance.

"Don't disappoint me again, Grindol, or you -will- be the one to face him next." With that, the large armored man turned to leave once more. If the Master entering the room gave Grindol chills, his exit was even worse. It meant that he didn't want excuses, and certainly wasn't willing to listen to pointless words. The statement was final, and Grindol knew as well as anyone that he couldn't possible match the youth in combat...Magical or otherwise.

That left only one more option, the same thing he had failed twice before. He needed to find a more powerful opponent. Both fell just as swiftly, as if they were mere rodents. He was obviously dealing with a master swordsman with no small amount of acrobatic talent. In short, he was trying to match speed with brute force, which clearly hadn't worked so far. Perhaps it was time for a different approach.

With a triumphant smirk, Grindol began to restore the stone on the floor to make a fresh carving...

(Kakariko Village)

Link walked steadily, though his head pounded. Confusion was only the half of it; He was nauseated by the sight of so much blood. While it was true that such beasts were foul and didn't deserve the life they had, he still wasn't used to the sight of so much red liquid spread along the landscape. In the past day, he had seen enough violent aftermath to last a lifetime, and he had a strong feeling that he wasn't through with it.

'It called me by name. It told me that he was here to destroy me. There's no chance that the two attacks were unrelated. Someone is after me, but whom? I can't recall any enemies I may have made...' His thoughts were replaced by the words of the Shaman.

"Link, what has happened? The sky is clear and the beast is no longer among us." The dark skinned man spoke uncertainly, almost suspiciously, to the steadily approaching youth. He closed the distance between them with a few long strides, coming to the boy and putting his hands on the shorter one's shoulders. "It is obvious that you are responsible, and yet you have no trace of blood on your sword. How is this possible?"

Link's reply was likely not what the Shaman wanted to hear. "I don't know, sir, but I wanted to ask you about it. I can't recall the battle; I only recall the blood afterward." He looked down and to the side, once again avoiding eye contact with the kind man. "I think something may be wrong with me."

"Link...I'm afraid I cannot tell you what you wish to know. Perhaps it isn't something that can be explained by conventional means. I know that if you search, you will find the answers you seek." The man blinked for a moment, seeming to recall something. "And please forgive my delayed introduction; My name is Renaldo. I am the Shaman of this village, and the destroyed shrine behind us is my home. It is a pleasure to meet you, and as I was saying before the beast's appearance, you're welcome to stay here as long as you wish to." Renaldo finished his introduction and removed his hands from Link's shoulders, taking a courteous bow to the younger one.

Link nodded once, and spoke with as much respect as he was taught to use with the Mayor. "I appreciate your hospitality, Renaldo. Where might I stay that would be the smallest burden on the village?" He looked around at the small roadside village, half expecting to sleep in the street judging by the lack of available space.

"I would be quite honored if you stayed in the basement of the shrine. You rid this village of a most terrible beast, and for that you have our eternal gratitude. You will always have a home here, even long after you leave us behind." Renaldo bowed once more, turning to enter the shrine now missing the front side. He began climbing down a hole revealed in the center of the building, what Link assumed lead to the cellar. Perhaps sleep was in order; he hadn't had any since his rude awakening some time ago.

Entering the cellar of the shrine, he saw something of a holy statue in the room. Renaldo was nowhere in sight, but Link thought little of it. 'Sleep will do me good, it's been a long day. Longer than any I've had in my life...' With that, he set himself on the ground and fell asleep immediately.

(Grindol's Chamber)

"Yes, I don't know why I didn't think of it before. Match a swordsman with another swordsman, one of even greater skill and speed. Now, how to formulate the spell to get the desired result?" He placed a wrinkled hand to his chin in thought, his experienced mind working through every outcome of each change he could make to his incantation. If the situation worked as he planned, even his Master would be impressed. Unfortunately, with the track record of these little experiments, the outlook wasn't very good.

As he set himself to work etching his summoning circle, he made subtle changes to the layout all around the pattern. A mark here, a curve there, a few symbols in this sequence around the innermost circle. Things were setting up quite nicely, the small stone he used to carve into the floor making marks like a knife in butter. A talented wizard such as Grindol could enhance anything through magic to meet its full potential. Why, then, has this boy been able to defeat his two most powerful creations yet? No matter, he would be no match for this refined creation.

One error, and the result would not favor the caster. With such a powerful spell, he may even suffer a bit of backlash from the magical energy. He once again put the hood over his head, designed to protect his valuable mind from currents of dark essence. As he finished carving the pattern, he looked at it once, twice, and a third time, all with agonizing attention to every single little detail; No knick could be in a place that it didn't belong. Satisfied with his most potent work of summoning to date, he snuffed the candles behind him and extended his hands. It was time to prove his worth as the Master's head wizard, a position that was sought by many powerful men and women alike.

(Link)

The young hero did not sleep soundly. His dreams were invaded by a rather imposing figure, dressed in dark armor from head to toe. He had a moderately sized sword in his hand, at least one and a half times the size of Link's own, and certainly crafted by some magical means. There were runes and etchings all along the blade, and it glowed softly. Even in a dream, the blade's black and red coloring seemed threatening. The man wielding it showed no features beneath his armor; Nothing but the fiery red eyes seen behind the slit of his helm.

No words were spoken, and nothing was done. Link's mind was simply invaded by this evil presence, perhaps of his own imagination, but perhaps something more. He didn't know what to make of it, and upon waking he had very little recollection of the figure. All he remembered were those deep red eyes, and the burning power within them. Something inside him let Link know that he hadn't seen the last of those eyes.

(Ending Line)

Okay, I know I've said this before, but seriously. Reviews? I want feedback, and it sucks to check every day and find nothing at all, even though more people have read the story. It might not be good, but let me know that and tell me why. I won't beg, although it may seem like I already am. See you soon, whomever it may concern. 


	5. The Light Spirit

Okay, a second review, and it had some really valuable comments in it. I do appreciate it! (Seperating Line)

Renaldo stood leaning against the wall of the shrine's underground room, watching as Link drifted back to sleep gradually. He had woken up abruptly and seemed to have something on his mind; Something quite disturbing. The Shaman didn't have much time to speak before Link put himself back against the floor, and the he wasn't surprised. From what he could tell, the young boy had slain two monstrous creatures lately, and anyone who didn't exhaust themselves completely from such a thing would be a miraculous person.

Of course, the situation that unfolded mere hours ago in the village spoke of nothing but miracles. A young man, no more than half Renaldo's age, had slain a beast that took a full blast of lightning without even flinching. It took mere moments for the darkness to escape the air after Link lured the beast away from the village, which means he was brutally efficient in the slaughter. What's strange is that he did such a miraculous thing without any memory of it, and his simple sword didn't have a drop of blood on the metal.

Renaldo had seen many things in his life, many things that could be considered miraculous, but even he was impressed by this youth's apparent power. Try as he might, he couldn't put the pieces together in his mind as to what might be happening within the young Link, although he had bits and pieces from old stories and prophacies. Hyrule has a deep history of evil, and an even deeper history of the heroes who rise against it. Every time, it comes down to the magical item known as the Triforce, and the effort of the evil to overtake it.

Always, though, there was a hero to prevent the culmination of the evil plans. So few people recalled these legends in the days Renaldo lived in, and it was somewhat discouraging to the spiritual man. He wanted so badly for people to honor the heroes of old, each and every one of them overcoming impossible odds to slay the beast, as it were, that held the land in his insufferable grip. Such a thing would take monumental courage and power. All Renaldo could figure out from the presence of this young Link, was that evil may soon threaten the land once more.

A darkness had been creeping over the land for years, growing stronger every day but not fast enough for most to take notice of it. Even now, it was but an ominous feeling every so often. Most of the highest holy people would take it for nothing more than residual evil of all the people in Hyrule. Renaldo, however, took nothing lightly, and had paid attention to the thin veil as it had made progress. The most obvious act of this evil, of course, was the attack on his village.

"I should have Link speak to the light spirit...Perhaps he might learn more about himself. That is, if he is truly what I believe him to be." Renaldo mused aloud, keeping his eyes on Link's sleeping form. Yes, the Light spirits were wise, but difficult to stir from their rest. If this evil truly was as Renaldo feared, then Link's presence could very well be what was needed to stir the spirit in the spring near the shrine. "Rest well, Link, for I can't imagine things will be easy from here on out." He bowed to the sleeping miracle, and then set back out to do a few things in town.

(One day later)

Link awoke once more, this time from a deep and sound sleep. He truly didn't remember the somewhat revealing dream he had about the darkly clad man, although somewhere within him it was no doubt vividly recalled. Perhaps in the same deep recesses of his mind where all of his power had come from. He left the shrine groggily, having slept a long time and not fully awakened from it. His sword and shield were still in the shrine, and all he wore was a simple shirt and pants Renaldo had supplied. While no blood had gotten on his village clothes during the battles, they had still been dirtied by other means.

Renaldo stood just outside the ruined shrine, people already working to gather the broken stone from the ground to gain materials for the reconstruction. The kindly older man turned to Link with a grave look, as if he were thinking thoroughly before speaking. "Link...I think you should visit the spring over there." He lifted a robe-covered hand and pointed to the spring only a few paces from the shrine, the waters glistening in the morning's light.

Link looked to the water and then back to Renaldo, somewhat puzzled. "I'm not thirsty, but I do appreciate your concern." He had assumed the Shaman wanted him to drink, and bowed courteously as he refused the offer. His respect was thrown off balance by the shaman's voice, and the urgency barely noticable within.

"I truly think you should step into the waters, perhaps even make your way toward the back parts of it. I need to be certain of something, and it's quite important." Renaldo kept his eyes on the beautiful spring water, hoping beyond hope that his worries were ill founded. If the light spirit awoke to Link's presence, then the evil he sensed was indeed a grave threat.

Even if the spirit reveals some of Link's destiny, Renaldo wouldn't feel safe from such a nagging sensation of evil. Most legends speak of a blatant darkness carpeting the land, but this one has been so incredibly subtle that it must be far more calculating. Perhaps whatever presence this is has a commanding knowledge of the past as well, and doesn't want to make the same mistakes of all-out assaulting the land with his power. He didn't like it when darkness grew a brain, and so he hoped with all his heart that Link didn't awaken the light spirit.

Link walked slowly into the cool spring waters, feeling rejuvinated and suddenly taking on a sharp focus as though the waters themselves were giving him strength. He had never experienced anything quite like it, although occasionally he ventured into the spring near his own home. It was similar, but not nearly as potent, and that was another thought he shouldn't have had. He recalled all the people from his village, and the playful stories they passed down about the magic waters and their healing properties. No amount of water could bring his village and the people back to him, and that was almost enough to bring him back to tears.

The waters, however, had a very calming essence about them. It seemed to reassure him that he was safe, and all would be well. As Link thought about all that had gone wrong in the past day, he ventured further and further into the waters. Unaware that Renaldo watched tensely, he finally got about halfway into the shallow liquid of healing. To his surprise, a dancing ball of light seemed to rest just beneath the surface, a spectacle strange enough that he had to blink twice to convince himself that it wasn't a hallucination of some sort.

Renaldo watched with a small hint of despair as the ball slowly rose from the spring's waters, knowing what it meant. Link's presence awoke the light spirits, and the evil he sensed was a terrible threat to the kingdom; likely the entire world. In the past, the Hero had always emerged victorious, but Renaldo knew that there were other forces that could win. Light and Darkness were opposites, and both were powerful. There was always the chance that darkness could overcome the light at last, and Renaldo didn't want to be a member of the generation that saw it come to be.

Link stood in awe at the light, mouth hanging open with no words escaping him. He felt so insignificant when faced with such a creature as what took shape in his vision. It was like some sort of animal composed entirely of light energy. When it spoke, it sounded as if it were music composed by the most marvelous of writers. He closed his eyes and took in the sounds of its soft voice, which addressed him and him alone. "Brave youth, you enter my spring as your destiny foretold many ages ago. I have awaited your arrival, and now the time has come for me to offer you what knowledge I have." It floated effortlessly above the water, clearly establishing its role as some sort of higher power.

Link stood awestruck for a moment longer, before gathering his composure and speaking briefly. "Light spirit, you speak of my destiny. What can you tell me about myself?" He asked with as much respect as he could find within his mind, giving the majestic figure all the reverence it was worthy of. He had never seen, or even heard of, such a spirit in his life. Having been introduced to one so suddenly was not only unexpected, but also quite lucky. Or perhaps it was not luck at all, but his destiny as the spirit had put it.

"You, brave Link, are a blessing to this world. The power you wield is like nothing any other being is capable of, but it is clear that you do not understand your own potential. Instinct forces you to act, but you have no recollection of it." The musical words were known only to Link, and to most in the village the light did not even exist. The only reason Renaldo even saw a ball of energy was his accute spritual powers. "The time approaches for the final struggle between good and evil...And while it may seem too much to handle, you are all this world has that is capable of fighting." The brief speech was like a fully orchestrated song, beautiful and complex, yet fully appreciated by the youth with little musical knowledge.

The young man gulped once, thinking over the spirit's words. He had no reason to doubt their truth, as a spirit so beautiful and soothing could not be taken for a liar. He did, however, have reason to doubt that he was the only one available to fight. Surely such a powerful spirit could do something to this darkness, something to lessen the burden on the youth's inexperienced shoulders. The spirit sung its words once more, invading the boy's ears gently. "Seek out the Great Fairy, brave Link; she will be able to shed further light on your destiny. She makes her home in the desert to the West." After speaking that last song, the light spirit slowly dissipated.

After it vanished, Link realized that the world around him was black in its presence. 'Such powerful light, it dwarfed everything else...And it is depending on me to fight?' The weight of those words was more significant than anything else, even the deaths in his village. This was no longer a personal battle; This time in his life would be the most important time...Not only for him, but if the spirit spoke true about the final struggle between good and evil, the entire world. Link was a ranch hand only a day before, and now he is the world's only hope. He heaved a long sigh and slugged himself back to the shrine and the waiting Renaldo.

The deep voiced Shaman spoke quietly, knowing that the other villagers hadn't seen the spirit. "What is it that you must do, young Link?" He looked at the youth's defeated posture and expression, only assuming that he had a terrible burden placed upon him. If only it had been someone more experienced. Renaldo didn't doubt the boy's ability; He would be foolish to do so after the encounter the day before. He did, however, doubt the boy's readiness to deal with his true calling. He was to be the final hero of legend, the hero who faces the most powerful foe any have faced before, and the hero with the most questionable fate.

Many prophacies that Renaldo had deciphered over the years all pointed to evil's eventual triumph. If this were to be the final battle, he hoped to all the powers of Hyrule that the foretelling of the ancients had been incorrect. He hoped for the sake of peace and all of the good people in the world that Link was capable of meeting this challenge. Unfortunately, such a thing would be impossible if the youth didn't learn to master the power deep within him; The power with no known source.

During the time Renaldo let himself think, Link finally found words to speak up. He seemed to tremble, Renaldo's assumptions likely correct regarding a burden. The young man spoke softly to match the Shaman's earlier words, aware that the light spirit's presence went unnoticed by those villagers repairing the shrine. "I am to seek out the Great Fairy, Renaldo...She should be able to tell me more about my destiny." He looked back to the spring, as if expecting himself to wake up suddenly. He remained of sound mind, clearly not dreaming as he had hoped. "It means that I must go to a desert in the west...I really shouldn't wait, so I'll be gone before the day is over. I appreciate your offer of hospitality, but waiting will only make it harder for me to accept this responsibility."

The two spent the remainder of the day sitting in the shrine's cellar together. Link had asked for Renaldo's prayers, hoping to gain additional strength from his faith. As the sun revealed it to be a bit past noon, Link stood silently. "I think it's time for me to go. Thank you for all you've done, Renaldo. With luck I will return soon." He bowed once, took his sword and shield, and started out of the shrine and toward the west exit of the village. He had a long way to go, Link had imagined.

At that point, he recognized the grass growing beside the spring, and picked it by the stalk. 'Perhaps Epona survived the attack...' He thought for a moment before placing the end of the horse-shoe shaped grass to his lips and blowing a familiar tune. If Epona were anywhere within a fair distance, she would respond. He felt a flutter of happiness in his heart when the beating of hooves sounded in the distance, and gradually grew closer...

(Ending Line) Alright, I've been updating pretty quickly, so expect another chapter tomorrow or the day after. Reviews would be wonderful, as I'm always looking for input on what to improve. Till then, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. 


	6. Shadows in the Light

I appreciate the input Bytemite has given me, I'd like to think it helped me quite a bit. I kind of forgot the whole concept of characterization before it was brought to attention. Thanks once more for the input...But judging by how many hits the 5th chapter has had, I should have more reviews by now. Gah, it's about time I stop bringing it up. I'll just say that I'd love more reviews!

(Seperating Line)

Link dared to let himself hope that the horse answering his song was Epona, the tension in his chest building as the galloping hooves grew nearer to the village. His eyes lit up and he ran forward to meet the four legged animal as it revealed itself to him. The eyes, if not the unique coloring of her coat, gave away the identity; It was most definitely the horse he thought he'd lost. He allowed himself a refreshing bit of cheerfulness as he reached Epona's side and patted her excitedly all over.

Renaldo watched, still quite disturbed by the spirit, and Link's next task. To have a light spirit refer him to the Great Fairy meant that Link may very well be the one noted in legend. The one to finally give way to evil's victory. Even in the past, the fairies kept to themselves unless they were found by the adventurer destined to do so. To have such a powerful spirit send a boy to the Great Fairy herself; It was all but impossible. Renaldo would still doubt Link's honesty if he weren't so convinced of the boy's ignorance to the world outside his village.

It was a vast, unforgiving world of evil and false hope. Renaldo vowed to keep himself and his village safe from both of those negative perceptions. Link's joy at the sight of this strange horse admitted more of his young mind and body. 'He's still a boy, one who cannot even fathom the struggle he is about to begin.' The Shaman mused silently, letting Link pat down the horse and give it a happy hug about the neck. Renaldo hated to see his joy, knowing that soon there would be no more. Prophacies had driven those like the Shaman for generations, and very rarely have they missed a mark when it comes to important factors. For them to say that evil will emerge victorious from the final battle; Even the usually optimistic Renaldo had to admit that the odds weren't in their favor this time.

Without saying another word to the youth, he turned to retire into the basement. While he wasn't entirely confidant in the outcome, it didn't mean he would not pray for the boy's success. It was all he could do; Sit like a coward in his shrine and pray for the one true hope of the world. The evil he sensed was not something blatant, yet the power of the creature created through its presence was immense. Judging by the beast's size and strength, plowing through a magically reinforced shrine with no effort, this evil being is capable of far more than what Renaldo could sense. Against such a power...even a man such as the Shaman, with considerable faith in the forces that act for good, wouldn't be able to fathom such a massive conflict.

Link didn't see the shaman go, and wasn't about to prolong an already difficult departure, so he mounted Epona to depart. As he put his weight on the horse, it winnied joyfully in response, possibly as happy as Link was to be reunited after such a catastrophe. He gave her one more pat on the head, took up her reins, and gave her a gentle kick to signal their departure. Epona gladly responded, rearing back on her hind legs before trotting out through the narrow passage.

(Elsewhere)

Grindol was still hard at work fixing his magic. The first few attempts at the sorcery turned out miserably. The creations were not nearly what he had in mind, and he was apparently missing a crucial element. "Perhaps I'm simply not powerful enough to create such a being..." He wondered aloud, although he knew there was nobody else in the room. He put a hand to his chin in deep thought, looking at the thrice-failed summoning circle, analyzing the modifications he had placed on it to change the result. Every time, it seemed close to perfection, but it destabilized and became unresponsive, as if it were a mindless drone. A step back from previous creations with their own thoughts and learning capabilities.

To defeat an opponent like this young boy, it would need to learn quite a bit about him in combat. The agility he displayed by butchering the wizard's precious minotaur could not be matched by a mindless entity. It also took a strong swing to sever the beast's entire head in one clean motion. Even the older man, who saw it with his own eyes, could not believe the precision of the cut that killed his beast. He still refused to believe it was possible for anyone, much less achievable by such an inexperienced child; which is precisely what he had been, judging by all the other observations into his character.

No. This boy was not a child; Not anymore, at least. Slaying creatures (that took the wizard hours to create) in but a minute or two was not something a child could do. He was robbed of his simplicity the moment he charged the first monstrous beast and something seemingly snapped. Something in the boy's eyes changed; They became eyes unlike anything Grindol had ever seen. They were orbs of purity, much like the burning red of his Master's, although instead of evil the young man showed light in his gaze. His eyes scared Grindol more than anything ever could. They were perhaps the only thing Grindol truly feared. He did not fear his Master, for the wizard knew he was of great benefit to the man; But the youth would not be merciful should he encounter the one responsible for his village's slaughter.

He had been under orders, yes, but Grindol took pleasure in finally putting his mastery of dark summoning to use. He was a cold blooded man with a desire for bloodshed, and no amount of guilt had ever entered his veins. When the Master offered him a chance to destroy an entire village, he was more than happy to oblige. He didn't know that it might have been the most critical mistake in his entire life, the one that condemned him to death, almost certainly by the precise blade of Link.

Grindol's Master entered the room quietly, but the wizard sensed the incredible power long beforehand. He knew it was coming, and thus he had made himself presentable. The days of work had left him ragged and exhausted, not sleeping since the first creature was commissioned. He needed to appear at the top of his form so the Master didn't punish him for incompetency. The magical assistance he needed to stand was magnified in order to keep himself steady, removing the look of exhaustion he wore mere seconds before.

"How is the work coming, Grindol? I don't expect another failure this time." The darkly armored man looked at the back of his right hand casually, as if it were a simple conversation between old friends. There was that simple calm to his voice, as always, that made Grindol uneasy once more. He had no true reason to fear the man, but that didn't mean he was comforted by his presence.

"There will be no more failures, Lord Gannondorf." He bowed as deeply as his body would allow, making his best attempt to look confident in his work. He lifted himself back up slowly, making sure he didn't appear defiant in doing so. "I am putting the utmost care into this one's creation. If it cannot get the job done, then the boy truly is unstoppable by my summoning magic alone." He gulped slightly, hoping that the last bit of that statement hadn't made him appear useless. He didn't fear Gannondorf when he still had something to offer, but if he became obsolete that would all change. He knew for a fact that his Master didn't take kindly to incompetence.

"See that you get it done before too much more time passes, Grindol. The boy is seeking the Great Fairy, and it may do him some good to meet with an obstacle before finding her." Gannondorf's helmet remained on his head, but the sinister smirk beneath it was obvious to the wizard. "He needs to prove himself worthy of her audience, and who better to test him than your creation, Grindol?" He gave the elderly magician an uncharacteristic pat on the back before turning to leave once more. The wizard let out a brief sigh and went back to work, confident that he could finish his ideal creation.

Grindol hated it when the Master acted strangely...It was never a good sign.

(Back to Link)

As he felt the wind blowing through his uncovered hair, Link felt he was back living during the days of his childhood. He recalled the first time he rode Epona without falling off, and the feeling of pride he had upon dismounting her. Everyone seemed to be impressed, and he was told that it took most people far longer to master a horse than it had taken him. Ilia, who had a deep empathy for animals even back then, told him that they were destined to become inseperable. Of all those that perished, Ilia was perhaps the most painful loss. A friend since childhood, she knew more about Link than even he seemed to at some points.

Daydreaming had a calming effect, but as he thought about what he had lost, he began to think about his destiny. His village was but a drop in the bucket compared to what he now had to protect. The entire kingdom's fate seemed to rest on his ability to conquer some all-powerful evil being and his servants of darkness. Thinking about the forces he had to confront, he took comfort knowing that a Light Spirit had spoken to him as if it respected him. What's more, he was sent to the Great Fairy, which even Link knew was a rare event. Finding the Great Fairy was one thing, but being sent to her home was far more significant.

The more he thought, the heavier he felt, as if he were adding physical weight to himself by imagining the importance of the current situation. He let himself get lost again in the sound of the wind whipping by as Epona held a full gallop, heading west along the path that apparently headed to the desert, as the Light Spirit had told him. He let his cares drift away once more, but again he could not keep his state of daydreaming...Something ominous moved along the ground a few hundred feet in front of them. It seemed to be a shadow, but in the middle of sunshine with no birds in the air to block it out. 'Shadows cannot exist in the light, can they?' Link thought, not quite realizing that the shadow was keeping pace with them as he and Epona kept on their way to the empty expanse of sand that the Great Fairy apparently called home...

(Ending Line)

Alright, that's number 6. I've been trying to make the story a small bit deeper, but I'm not too experienced so it might not be coming off as well as I think it does .

Reviews would be great for helping me know what to improve on! Or let me know what I'm doing well, that's always appreciated. 


	7. The Awakening

Had to take a brief break due to family plans. On with the story!

(Seperation Line)

As Link continued riding, he continued thinking about the shadow so far ahead of him. It was moving fairly quickly, always the same distance ahead, but going side to side in order to stay in his field of vision. He didn't like the looks of it, but at the time there was nothing he could do. He continued to ride, trying his best to reach the desert before whatever the shadow signified began to attack.

Link was obviously not the luckiest man alive, and as such he wasn't really surprised when the shadow suddenly closed in on him with intense speed, causing him to stop Epona and send himself flying off to the side to make certain that it wouldn't attack the horse. He didn't see where the shadow went after tumbling to the ground and picking himself back up.

He drew his sword and put his shield at the ready, looking cautiously around at anything that seemed unnatural. He didn't know if the shadow had a certain shape, as it was too quick to get a good look at it. His eyes scanned the environment, his horse standing quite still to make a more silent environment. She truly was attuned to Link, knowing precisely what to do without actual communication.

As Link looked around, he thought of something. 'If it is a shadow, it should be obvious, right? Unless of course...It can hide itself among other shadows.' He then looked to Epona's shadow, edging himself closer. As he got within striking distance he thrusted his sword into the shadow as swiftly as he was able...Which turned out much faster than he thought he could do it, pushing the sword into the ground all the way to the hilt.

While he struggled to dislodge his blade from the soil, an inhuman grunt sounded as the shadow came up from beneath him. He felt a cold, seemingly metal surface slam into his chin and he was sent back a few feet, losing his grip on the sword which remained in the ground. He uttered a curse as he brought his shield up, getting a good look at the shadowy figure.

It looked like he did, although it was dressed differently. Its clothing and equipment were all made of shadow, just like his face...The only features that gave the being any sort of humanity were the glowing red eyes. He looked into them and narrowed his own orbs, noting the figure's inactivity. It simply stood with the shield and sword drawn, shifting its feet in a ready stance.

The clothing it wore appeared to be a tunic of some kind, along with a somewhat long hood. Somewhere in the legends of the past, he heard of this clothing as being the clothing of the Gods, which always seemed to find their way into the hands of heroes of the past. Perhaps this creature of shadow was a remnant of one of those heroes, or perhaps something designed to combat them.

Perhaps, also, it was created with knowledge of those legends in order to give it a more symbolic appearance. Regardless of its creation, Link looked at it unsteadily. He was unarmed, having nothing but a wooden shield against the shadowy blade the figure wielded in its left hand. It was longer than his own sword, with a distinctly curved handle much like something else described in legends.

The shadowy figure's sword was a replica of the Master Sword. Link had seen pictures of it, re-creations of the heroes past preserved for countless years for the purpose of spreading the legend to future generations. He never took much interest in them, but knew enough about them to recognize the shadowy blade's likeness. It was most certainly not the true sword, he knew, because it was fabled to be untouchable by evil.

Still, that the creator knew so much about the past appearances of the heroes to make a perfect replica disturbed Link. He was obviously being faced by a creation of the new evil, the one that he was to confront and defeat to save the entire world. Just the red eyes of this shadowy creation sent waves of fear down Link's spine, but he knew he could not cower from them. Whenever he fought, he somehow found a way to win...Even when he didn't know it.

The dark replica of Link stood patiently, anticipating the true one's first move. Link watched patiently as well, trying to analyze his opponent. He was by no means an experienced fighter; not that he knew of anyhow. He was trying in vain to think of a way to retrieve his sword, having no idea just what this shadow was capable of. He took a step, and the shadowy form mimiced him completely. 'Is it just a mirror image?' He thought to himself, waving his left hand. Sure enough, the opponent moved his sword hand to copy it.

'No, it wouldn't be so simple...' He looked once more into the creature's eyes, noting an almost human look to them, despite the unnatural color. This thing posessed intelligence, and plenty of it. What it was doing to imitate him must be a way to give Link false hopes that he could trick it into doing something it didn't mean to do. It would lure the young boy into a false sense of security, then strike.

Link wasn't about to fall for that, so he made a blind charge with his shield held out. He let out a battle cry as he neared the shadowy figure, which stood still with its sword and shield held casually to its sides. As Link came within inches, the figure acted, making a vertical slice with the shadowy blade which completely split the wooden shield in half, leaving Link with an empty handle and a deep sense of panic. He was within range for another strike, and so he leapt backward out of instinct.

Luckily enough for Link, the follow-up swing wasn't quite fast enough to catch him in the chest like it intended. It did, however, catch his simple shirt in its range and left a gash that was directly in front of his heart. Usually Link would have blacked out by now, and he wanted to, desperately wishing for the situation to be lifted from his hands.

This time, it seemed as if his miracles had run out, and he turned onto all fours to scramble away some distance before turning to face the shadowy figure completely unarmed. He had no sword and no shield, and as such he could not defend himself should the being decide to attack him. Link stood watching the shadow once more, watching it pace back and forth slowly in front of his horse, as if guarding the sword in the ground from Link's reach.

Link let out a whistle, a very sharp one, which he would use as a signal for Epona to kick when the children wanted to see a show. The horse understood his meaning, and thrust her back two legs in order to strike the unknowing shadow in the back. The figure didn't expect the force, and stumbled forward a bit off balance. Link saw his chance and sprinted for the sword, but wasn't near quick enough. As he came within inches of grasping the handle, he was knocked aside by the firm shadowy metal of the figure's shield, sending him stumbling into a roll.

'Why isn't he killing me? It would be ease itself to finish this.' Link worried that this may be more complicated than it appeared. He hadn't been injured, but his confidence took a hit when his attacks failed twice. The shadow took a step toward Link, then another, and then closed the distance between them to kick the youth in the side of his stomach, sending him rolling across the ground.

An inhuman chuckle arose from the shadowy figure, and as Link looked up to regard it, he saw a dark smile barely noticable against the shaded black face's features. The thing knew how easy it would be to kill him, but it wanted to toy with him first. Link felt a bit of anger run through him as he realized the foul thing's intentions. 'He means to make a fool of me. Why won't the darkness overtake me again? I know this foul being would die if I could only tap into that blessed unconsciousness.' But the blackness wouldn't come. Link's fear remained, and his sight continued to show the dark figure smiling at the pathetic boy.

The thing spoke, the smile evident in its tone, although its voice was deeper and of a darker quality than anything Link had ever heard. "You cannot always rely on the strength of others, child." It delivered another kick to his torso, sending him rolling a bit further away from his sword. "You should have learned to fight for yourself..." It lifted the sword and thrust it down into the ground right in front of Link's terrified face. He couldn't speak, much less rise to escape, the dark figure's kicks delivering too much force for him to recover from.

He felt a pressure on his chest each time he took a breath, wondering if a kick had fractured one of his ribs. The shadow continued to speak. "I know a great deal about you, Link. My Master has been watching you for some time. Each of the attacks before this one, you seemed to tap into a hidden power...But this time, it fails you, doesn't it?" He smirks as he picks his sword back up out of the ground, putting his foot on top of Link's neck. "Perhaps the Master made a mistake in worrying about you. It must have been luck that you were able to slay the first two beasts."

Link coughed, feeling something thick in his throat, tasting of copper. 'Blood. But now it is mine, like it should have been at the village. Something saved me then, but why hasn't it saved me now? Am I no longer worthy?' He coughed again and again, the foot on his neck putting very little pressure on it, just enough to agitate his breathing. He then resorted to instinct, putting his left hand on the shadow's solid foot, pushing it with all his might to give himself more room to breathe.

To the shadow's surprise, Link had a great deal of strength for one so easily tossed around. He pushed his foot against Link's hand to no avail, eventually losing his balance and leaping backward to gain distance. He thought it through and decided to wait for another attack. 'I will not get close to him again...I was careless. He is certainly unique.' The shadow's thoughts were taking on a bit caution, which he didn't think he would need.

Link blinked at his own hand, wondering where the strength to push his assailant away had come from. He looked off to his horse, which was still standing obediently. He brought himself to his feet, taking slow steps in a circle to try and make his way to the sword he buried in the ground in his attempt at a pre-emptive strike. The shadow watched him carefully, shield and sword at the ready. Link stepped gradually, making certain that he didn't startle his foe into action.

The pain in his chest made it a bit harder to concentrate, but he did his best to appear confident. The strength he managed to summon seemed to have caught the dark man off guard, but he didn't count on surprising the thing again. He had to be sure that he looked like he knew of his own power, although he was amazed at his own strength. 'Relying on the power of others. What others?' Link found himself thinking as he traced a wide circle, which did eventually lead him to the sword in the ground.

He knealt down to draw it from the dirt, easily lifting it where he had been unable to move it just moments earlier. 'What is this?' He wondered, looking at his own left hand which he had used to draw the sword. He thought for a moment that he saw a light on the back of his hand, but attributed it to the sun's glare behind him. With his sword, he still wouldn't approach the foul human-like creature of darkness. The two stared at each other, the shadow obviously wary of Link's next move.

'If I charge again, I may be able to surprise him...But he may be waiting for it.' Link gulped, feeling a burning sensation in his chest. His rib was most certainly cracked, if not completely split. He couldn't simply wait to be attacked, risking further damage to his body. 'He wouldn't expect me to charge again after last time,' Link concluded in his head, letting out a cry as he began to run forward, sword held out to his side in preperations for a strike.

The shadow put out his own sword, prepared to parry the attack and use his shield to bat Link away once more. Link would let him try, and duck when the shield came, perhaps managing to score a hit while the darkness was off-center. It was the best he could think of while charging, the pain in his chest becoming a more numbing distraction with each passing step. Things suddenly took on a sharp focus, and he brought his sword around in a horizontal arc to let his double knock it away, already beginning to duck with the shield came at the same time. He got just beneath the shield's assault, his sword coming back around and allowing him to thrust it forward with added momentum from the shadow's frantic parry.

If the sword had connected, it would have impaled Link's foe, but the being was faster than he thought. Before Link could even think, the shadowy figure had gotten behind him with a jump, causing Link to thrust into empty air. With a panicked gasp, Link turned and held his sword vertical to attempt a block of any counter-attack from behind. To his relief, his sword caught the shadowy form of his opponents, and a strange thing happened.

The light that once made Link think it was a trick of the eye, the one on the back of his hand, now began to take on an incredibly defined shape. It was the shape of three golden triangles, with only one of them fully defined. In the moments that followed, Link's world slowed down immeasurably, things seeming to move as if they were in a deep pool of molasses. The dark figure's eyes narrowed painfully slow, and Link felt a sudden indescribable power surge through his left arm and out into his sword.

He found his own eyes widening at the sight that now came into focus before him. His simple metal sword began to twist and reform even as the shadowy figure struggled to knock away Link's defense. The blade moved as if it had a life of its own, extending and widening a bit. The hilt began to curve and enlarge, forming a golden triangle much like that on the back of his hand in the center of the two wing-like extensions. As Link's world remained nearly frozen, he gulped in disbelief.

Instead of the sword he set out from his village with, he now held the legendary Master Sword.

(Ending Line)

Uh oh, seems like things are coming together .

Review please! 


	8. According to Plans

Alrighty, here's some more. Please review!

(Seperation Line)

Ganondorf smiled wide, looking on at the scene before him with tremendous satisfaction. The boy's power, as he predicted, hadn't activated so strongly in the presence of the shadowy foe. The dark version of the young man had somehow bypassed his instincts, allowing it to fight without problems. While the boy's instincts triggered massive power in the past, instinct alone wasn't enough to offer a challenge. The master sorcerer wanted there to be complete awareness in Link's eyes when he held him over his head by the throat.

Grindol had come through, precisely as predicted. Ganondorf was quite adept at taking events into consideration ahead of time. He knew what would work and what wouldn't, and decided to fashion tests that would progress the boy along a natural path of evolution; From coward to unstoppable force. The frail old wizard he depended on for summoning magic rarely had an idea of his own; All of them were put right in front of him, leaving him to fill in the details. Ganondorf hadn't the time to waste on summoning magic; He focused on the more direct forms of darkness.

He continued to watch, the sinister grin on his face staying quite wide as the Master Sword finally revealed itself, confirming all of the evil one's expectations. "Yes, things are going precisely according to plan..." He crossed his arms and allowed himself a chuckle, always watching the image of Link set upon his wall by unknown magic.

(Back to Link)

Link stared in disbelief as the blade took form in his hand, and although the sword lengthened compared to the original form, it became far lighter. It was much easier to hold, letting him push back the darkness from its assault. The darker version of him was trying to push the sword aside with his own shadowed blade, and was putting forth a supreme effort, but he couldn't overtake the strength in Link's single arm, even after putting both hands on the blade and letting his dark shield dissipate.

Realizing the advantage he had come into, Link turned more completely to face his opponent, having been turned at the waist on his knees before. He pushed with a mild force and sent the other swordsman stumbling backward, thrown off balance easily. As Link stood, taking up a defensive stance, he began to see and recall things he never knew before. Images that seemed to be from his childhood, things that he could see briefly but not fully understand. One image remained fairly constant, and it was the Master Sword in his hand. He suddenly knew precisely how to fight with it.

He wasted no more time on waiting, and began a charge at the startled shadow that stood mere feet away from him. Without a shield, Link put both hands on the hilt of his sword and pulled back in preparation for a swing. The darkness in front of him put both hands on his own sword and prepared to defend himself. As the two met, each of them took a swing, but only the darker of the two was sent away, his sword thrown from his hand and stuck into the ground some distance away. He clutched at his shadowy hand, darkness seeming to flow from it as if it were blood.

A roar of pain came forth from the inhuman figure, something that would have frightened Link had he not been reinforced by his newfound power. He stood confidently, letting the injured infernal creature lick its wound, as it were. Link couldn't help but smirk, knowing that he had dealt the demonic thing a fairly sizable deformation. At very least, it wouldn't be able to swing the sword at him again.

(To Grindol)

Grindol felt a strong sense of defeat as he watched his most precious creation writhe in pain. He had been doing so well, tossing the would-be hero around like a rag doll. It took a much longer time for the boy's power to awaken, which had made Grindol think he had created a match for the lad. How foolish he had been, and humbled he now felt, especially seeing the ease of Link's attack. It seemed to be second nature to him, angling the blade precisely in the air to surpass the finger guard on the shadowy sword and strike along the knuckles of his creation's hand.

The thing had been designed with defense in mind, knowing that Link had tremendous skill and precision with his sword, but even that had done nothing to prevent the humiliation now coursing through both him and, quite likely, his prized conjuration. He put a hand to his forehead, knowing what this scene fortold. "The Master will have my head for this failure, I already know it." He muttered to himself, thinking of some explanation for the latest mistake he had made. He was starting to fear Ganondorf genuinely, knowing that he wouldn't take this defeat sitting down.

As Grindol thought frantically about the outcome of his failure, he caught notice of the boy's eyes. They didn't have the pure blue glow in them any longer...No, he was not acting on inner drives any longer. The boy was completely aware of what he was doing. That, more than anything else, struck Grindol cold. It halted his thoughts, and made his large chamber seem constricting and clausterphobic. "He knows what is happening...And it's only a matter of time before he finds us." He began to fall on his knees, watching his creation bleed its shadowy essence into the air, and knew his lifespan had been drastically reduced. If not Ganondorf, than Link would be the one to end his life, and something told him it would be quite soon indeed.

(Back to Link)

As he watched the mockery of life bleed shadow into the air, Link began to wonder just how much of its composition it could dispel while still holding shape. Had it really been so full of shadow to spill out such a tremendous amount of essence and still move? In fact, it seemed to be collecting itself, and finally the shadow stopped pouring out. He could see the hatred in his enemy's eyes as he was regarded, almost looked into by the injured subhuman. The burning red eyes were perfect for expressing the rage within the figure as he rushed blindly toward Link, forming a new shadowy blade of rather large proportions, beginning to swing the bulky sword much faster than Link had given credit for.

Of course, with Link's sudden burst of experience, it was nothing he couldn't handle. As the sword was brought around in a horizontal arc, Link put his own blade to his side at a precise angle, letting the massive shadowy weapon slide up along his own and send the shocked shadow whirling from the excess momentum, the large sword sailing above Link's head and continuing on its path in a circle. That was all Link needed, thrusting his perfectly balanced sword into the foul creature's gut, sending it clean through to the other side. As the inhuman creature let out another roar of agony, it thrashed out with its right hand, grabbing for Link's throat.

Link wouldn't have any of that, and promptly grabbed the wrist of his twice-wounded foe. It was far less dense than he had imagined, amounting to almost no resistance when he put pressure on his grip. The shadow gave way, severing the hand from the arm without any sort of sound. The Master Sword was still in its torso, and Link decided to end the fight once and for all, bringing his blade out, then releasing a powerful battle cry and spinning in place, letting his sword pass through the opponent's waist and cut him into two equal pieces.

As the shadow poured out of its waist on both halves, Link knew it would be enough to end its existence. Before his fallen foe even stopped moving, Link put his now-longer sword into his sheathe, finding it to have changed to match the length. 'Strange...What does all of this mean?' He found himself thinking, mounting Epona without looking back, knowing that the sky behind him must have been dark thanks to the shadow being leaked into the air. He set off on his mount for the desert, which was within his sight. (For pace's sake, we'll say the desert isn't on a plateau)

(To Grindol)

As he watched his creation become nothing but a cloud in the air, Grindol sensed his Master approaching. Quickly he got up off of his knees, brushing his purple robe of any dust and standing as erect as he could manage. Even with his magic assisting him, he felt frail and hunched over, anticipating his Master's punishment. 'Perhaps he will be merciful, and end my life swiftly.' He found himself hoping, the door to his chamber creaking open with a deliberately gradual motion. He didn't dare turn and show his face to Ganondorf, knowing that the look on his Master's face wouldn't be pleasant.

The mocking calmness in the dark one's voice made Grindol shiver. "Yet another one of your creations has fallen to this one's blade. What's more, this time it seems to have awoken the boy's true power, instead of forcing him to rely on instinct. Interesting..." Ganondorf was standing, deep in thought, possibly thinking of some horrible punishment to exact on the fragile robed elder he shared the room's space with.

"A thousand apologies, my Master, my magic wasn't a sufficient challenge. Given more time, I could refine the structure, and perhaps pour more energy into a more advanced creation." Grindol turned to face his Master, falling to his hands and knees and begging for forgiveness. He didn't want time to continue moving, knowing that the next words to escape his Master's lips would mean more pain and suffering than a lifetime should ever provide.

After a few moments of silence, Ganondorf spoke calmly once again, his eyes narrowed beneath his helm as always. "Grindol, you may rise. Your creation has not failed me." He crossed his arms, looking down at his top wizard and waiting for him to bring himself back to his feet. The reaction he got was one of shocked confusion, the older man looking up with a question in his eyes. "No, you have not failed me...As I said, the boy needed a test before he saw the Great Fairy. He has been tested properly, and he passed as I knew he would. However, he will not be permitted to find us without struggle. Yes, perhaps you should focus more power into your next creation. I'm counting on you, Grindol." With that, as he had done so many times before, he turned and left without another word.

(Back to Link)

A thousand thoughts went through Link's head as he dismounted Epona at the edge of the desert, knowing it would be hard for her to run in the fine sand. He figured it would be best if he took the journey on foot anyway, thinking of it as something like a rite of passage. Somehow, he knew precisely where to go to find the Great Fairy, and made a fairly straight path in his mind to get there.

He could see far more easily in the sandy air as he thought he'd be able to, attributing it to his miraculous awakening. He knew the power he felt, and the sword he now called his own, but he didn't know where any of it came from. If anything about the Great Fairy had been true, he would be able to ask her about everything. He wanted to know precisely what was going on, and she was perhaps the only being in all the kingdom who knew of the part he would play in history.

(Ending Line)

Alrighty, as always I'll ask you to review! I appreciate all who have read my story so far. I've been trying to make it better as it goes, lemme know if it needs work in a particular place! 


	9. The Great Fairy

Today, on Days of our Link:

(Seperation Line)

Link walked on for what seemed like hours, treading over the sand at a rather swift pace. No matter how much time passed, it seemed as if the spire in the distance never got any closer. The desert was far larger than he had expected, although he thought he should have known such a thing already, from the same source as all the other knowledge he now had about the area. The heat of the sun was beginning to take its toll on him, and even as it was setting, the temperature never decreased.

Even in his light shirt and pants, he was sweating profusely. Each step seemed to add more weight to his shoulders and more heat to his body, until he finally decided to stop and rest. There were flat rocks all across the landscape, all of them a different size. He chose a larger one and put himself down on it, laying on his back and basking in the sun. When he wasn't moving, the heat of that star was relaxing to his exhausted body, and he quickly lost himself in sleep.

He had another dream, but this time it was not of darkness. In his dream, he saw what looked like himself adorned in the clothes of the hero, much like those worn by the shadow he had fought, but the color was green as opposed to black. He was also holding the Master Sword and a metal shield decorated with multiple symbols of the Kingdom of Hyrule. He saw that figure in his dream, and suddenly he was filled with confidance.

At that point, he woke himself out of his sleep to find that the sun had set and the spire he sought had almost vanished from view. Cursing himself for letting exhaustion interfere with his journey, he set out toward the faint form of the rocky protrusion. The desert was still blazing hot, although he had heard that desert nights should be freezing. Perhaps this was an abnormal occurence, set up by his invisible enemy?

No, it must be the work of the Great Fairy. She wouldn't want to waste her valuable time on someone too weak to cross a desert. She was picky about those she gave audience to, and usually only appeared to a mortal when the situation was grave indeed. He thought back on the form of the light spirit, and gulped as he realized that the Great Fairy was likely even more powerful and awe inspiring. He didn't know if he was truly worthy of coming face to face with her, much less asking for her help.

He looked at the back of his hand, the symbol of the Triforce still glowing strong. It was something that gave him a sense of importance, and it washed away any doubts about his worth. He was destined to seek her out, and she was destined to tell him all that she knew. He didn't like destiny; It seemed to know more about him than he did. It seemed to foretell all of the happenings in his life before he could do them. 'Why bother living my own life if the course of it is set in stone?' He wondered, still walking at a fair pace through the searing hot sand.

He finally thought the spire was getting closer, the faint image of it in the night growing a small bit larger. 'I was destined to lose my village, destined to become some all important hero.' He continued his thoughts, the spire growing closer as he did so. 'And I am destined to confront an all powerful evil in the most important battle of all time.' He sighed, but continued walking along, finding a small comfort in the sound of his own thoughts as he tread the lonely desert.

'I hate destiny.' And with that final thought, he almost walked face first into the spire he had spent so much time travelling toward.

(To Grindol)

All of his magic was not enough, he could not find a way to top his last creation. He had been a fool to propose it to his Master, and spent a large amount of his free time regretting the opening of his mouth. "I should have stood my ground and taken the abuse. Now I have promised something I cannot deliver." He crossed his bony arms across his chest and sighed down at the summoning circle on the ground. "I am too exhausted to use any more powerful magic...I need rest, but I doubt the Master would accept that."

Sulking, he paced side to side in his chamber, thinking on his options. "I could fake a heart attack, and perhaps gain a bit more time to rest. No, the Master would slay me for incompetence, regardless of whether or not he knew it was not true." Scratching his balding head, he wondered further, pushing up the magical form of his enchanted bifocals. As a regular man, he would have died decades ago from wear and tear, but through magic he had kept himself alive and rather healthy for far longer than a mortal should. Perhaps that is what impressed his Master so much.

Sometimes, though, Grindol wished he had just let himself die. True, he did enjoy the work he did at times, and his nature was enough to drive him from one creation to the next just to watch the destruction that resulted from it. But if he had let himself die, he would not have a biting feeling in the back of his head that he would not have a quick death. He would be tortured slowly by either Ganondorf or Link, both of them having some sort of agenda against him. In all honesty, he would rather it be Link. He seemed to be more of an efficient killer.

Ganondorf was the most sadistic madman Grindol had ever had the displeasure of meeting. If a servant even so much as looked at him incorrectly, the screams of agony would last well into the morning after. It was harsh on his old nerves to hear such pain, knowing that one true mistake could put him in that position. Even if he could find a way to kill himself through his magic, Ganondorf would be able to supress it. To be denied the right to a peaceful death...That's something Grindol didn't want to know of. He set himself back to his work, trying in vain to access more powerful magic for his creation.

(Back to Link)

As he looked up the side of the spire, he saw how truly massive it was. He could hardly see the top of it from where he stood, and gulped as he realized the truth. "She must be on the top of it." Looking to his hand for reassurance, he was met by the glow of the Triforce once more. Taking a deep breath, he found a handhold and began climbing.

With his inherited strength, climbing was not difficult. He was moving at a pace that most monkeys would be envious of, grabbing foothold after handhold after foothold, making his way up the spire as if he were born to scale it. And perhaps he was, seeing as how destiny had gotten him this far on faith alone. It wasn't long before the top of the spire was in reach, and he found himself putting his hand on the ledge that signified the top.

Link paused for a moment, wondering if he should lift himself up the rest of the way, wondering if he was prepared to be faced by the Great Fairy herself. Taking one last deep breath, he hoisted himself up to the flattened top of the spire. As he looked around, he saw a pool of water inches deep and a mere ten feet across. There was a cloud of light energy, so it seemed, and he took a few steps toward it, tilting his head as if anticipating a trap of some kind.

As he set foot in the water, a blinding light flashed, and in place of the light energy he saw the form of a young woman. Her hair was past her shoulders, and green in color. She wore a silken gown, covering her body loosely, provoking no vulgar thoughts in his mind despite her immense beauty. Her ethereal wings extended from her back through the gown, and he found himself admiring them above all else. They didn't seem to exist in the mortal plane, and yet their slow movements kept the woman suspended a few inches out of the water.

She spoke, her voice even more musical and angelic than the light spirit. It made Link's mind feel as if it were being tickled, and he found himself lost in her words. "Welcome, young Link, to the Great Fairy's Spring. I am the Great Fairy, and I know why you have come." She stopped her wings' motion and set herself into the shallow water, her bare feet causing no ripples as she landed. "For the record, my dear boy, I despise destiny as well." She let herself smile, an expression that made Link gulp.

The young boy didn't dare open his mouth, standing only a few feet away from the Great Fairy herself. She seemed to sense his discomfort and spoke again. "Do not worry, dear Link, you're more than welcome to be here. Speak when you wish to speak, I am not going to judge you." She giggled a little bit. Her mannerisms were more reminiscent of a young girl than an all powerful being. He felt a bit more at ease, now, opening his mouth to speak.

"You hate destiny...But it is what brought me here." He tried his best to look confident, though still uneasy in the presence of one of the most powerful beings in existence. He stood straight, but trembled a bit, especially after the Fairy took a few steps toward him, feet still causing no ripples in the waters. She stopped mere inches from him, revealing her to be a few inches taller than he was. She examined him closely, which made Link even more uncomfortable. He heard that musical giggle once more.

"Link, destiny fortells that you will lose your battle with the ultimate evil. That is precisely why I cannot accept it. You are my hero, the one I have counted on for centuries. You have had many forms, each of them containing great power. But now, you have broken the barrier between you and your former selves. In essence, you're every one of my heroes at once. Allow me to fully awaken you, my dearest Link." The Great Fairy put her pointer finger to Link's forehead, and suddenly he knew her words were true.

A light engulfed the nervous youth, and any doubt he had about his power was erased in a flash. He felt even more powerful than ever, feeling and seeing every single detail that any of the previous heroes had ever known. He suddenly felt more than confident in his chances; He was entirely certain that he would be able to crush the evil of this land once more. He was no longer Link the ranch hand; he was Link, the Hero of Time. The former boy no longer existed, being overtaken by himself as a true force of good.

The light of the Triforce shone even brighter, and as the light that was engulfing him faded, Link found himself to be dressed in his old clothing. The green tunic covered his body once more, fitting like a glove even after so much time lying dormant. He looked at himself and found a smile forming on his lips. "It will be an honor to serve you again...And I shall prove destiny wrong, just as you want me to." He reached onto his back and pulled out the Master Sword, finding his trusty Hylian Shield on his back as well. Reaching around his body, he found other pieces of missing equipment: His bow, hookshot, and magical bomb bag, capable of storing dozens of explosives in very little space.

He put his sword back into its sheathe, and cracked his neck. The Great Fairy was smiling proudly. "Welcome back, dearest Link. I'm counting on you one final time, and then you shall be granted the rest you deserve." She put both slender hands on his cheeks and planted a motherly kiss on his forehead. "Destroy the evil once more, so that all of this world may know peace once and for all. Can you do that for me?" She took her hands off his face and smiled further, noting his increased confidence. She knew that her beloved hero was back, and she knew that destiny could not deny her the feeling of satisfaction. She knew that no evil could overpower the force known as Link. She vanished once more, becoming a faint image of dust and dancing lights.

Link looked out over the desert and smiled, feeling at home once more as he got used to his body again. He leapt off the spire in a swan dive and let himself feel the hot desert air rush past him, falling rapidly down the massive length of the cliff. As he opened his eyes and saw the ground quickly approaching, he drew his hookshot and fired it into the spire, getting caught by the chain and swinging hard toward the rocky wall. He put out his legs to catch himself against the firm surface, releasing the chain and flipping backward to land flat on his feet. He put the hookshot back into its place on his belt.

"Now...Where should I go to find him?" He wondered aloud, walking through the desert with his hand on his chin, thinking about all the things he had experienced before this point. He remembered the village, and Renaldo, and his previous encounters, but it all seemed as if he were a mere child when they occured. He felt confident and far more secure in his powers. After all, he has always had them. At least, that was the way it felt.

(To Ganondorf)

The dark man smiled, his helmet removed to reveal his unnaturally dark skin and orange hair. "Yes, Hero. Think long and hard." Ganondorf looked to his own hand, seeing the Triforce glowing on his hand. This time, however, there were two segments giving out light. He had in his possession both power and wisdom. He admired the shape of the triforce on his hand, thinking once more about the luck his family had in the past.

His door creaked open, on the side of public access. A small man in a scholarly robe poked his head in, and spoke with absolute loyalty. "My King, the time to address your people has arrived." Ganondorf nodded once to the man, and gave him the signal to leave the room. "Yes, my liege." He bowed low, and made his presence unknown to his King.

Yes, Ganondorf's lineage had done very well for themselves in the past generations. They had gone to far as to inherit the throne of Hyrule through marriage. Ganondorf was already the king of the land he sought to destroy, and no Hero would dare try to assassinate the king. He would have the pleasure of his guards bringing the boy to his chamber, and delivering the final blow himself. He could see it now...

(Ending Line)

ZOMG PLOT TWIST! This is where the complications arise and the plot gets a bit deeper. 


	10. Don't Be Arrogant

Don't read and not review please! I like a little feedback whenever possible.

(Seperating Line)

Link cracked his knuckles, regarding the familiar symbol of the Triforce on his hand. He looked around the desert as he walked, knowing precisely which direction he needed to go. Feeling the sand under his booted feet was a welcome sensation, having always loved the barren wasteland he was travelling through. Something about it always made him feel at peace, and so he continued on without a care in the world.

As he reached the edge of the desert, Epona was there waiting for him. Immediately she seemed to perk up, noticing the radical change in clothing and the more focused eyes of her master. Somehow it seemed that Epona had a similar phenomenon going on, as she instantly recognized what had happened and reared back with a pleased neigh. Link reached her and put a hand to her neck soothingly. "Good to see you again, Epona." With a smile and a nod, he mounted his horse and turned away from the desert.

He set off on the path to Kakariko Village, eager to inform Renaldo that there was nothing to worry about. His memories of everything were clear as day, and he felt as if he had the knowledge of almost a dozen lifetimes. In truth, he did, as well as the combined experience and power of the past saviors of Hyrule. He was every hero to ever live, all combined into one perfect form of good. He was the ultimate force, and the only thing capable of ending the evil that blanketed the land once and for all.

However, even as he rode with confidence in he and his horse's capabilities, something didn't sit right with him. He could see no true signs of tampering with the kingdom. Nothing had changed, and things seemed as if they were at peace. The spirit was quite clear when it said that Link would be the one to face the final evil, but he could sense none of the evil anywhere. He found it odd that the castle was still intact completely, and no blatant darkness covered the land.

'This feels wrong...' Link thought gravely, looking around in all directions even as Epona dashed swiftly across the field toward the village. While he was never that good at sensing things, he could tell there was a distinct absence of evil. In the past, he had always felt something wrong in the air when the Evil King was present in the world, but this time there was nothing. Everything was peaceful, but he knew that it was a false sense of security. The Light Spirit and the Great Fairy were wiser than he, and he could not doubt their words.

Ganondorf was here, and that couldn't be allowed any longer.

(To Ganondorf)

As he watched the youth on his horse sprinting through the field, Ganondorf allowed himself a smirk. "The hero rises once more to battle the evil of the realm. This is to be the final battle, and he is destined to lose. Such a fool to seem so confident." He once again admired both of the fragments of the Triforce present on his hand. He knew precisely what to do and how to do it with the Wisdom portion, and the Power insured that he would be victorious.

Nothing scared Ganondorf, not even the incredible power that Link now posessed. He was untouchable in his castle, already the rightful ruler of the land. Once the youth was taken care of for good, the King could mold the world how he saw fit, finally posessing the complete Triforce. He would not have his people doing as they pleased, free to relax when so much work could be done to glorify their King. He would let them believe he was benevolent until Link was out of the way.

When the young boy finally realized where to find the evil he sought so hard, he would find a lot of resistence if he tried to assault him. Ganondorf's people admired him, and would likely die to protect him. He felt more than a bit secure knowing that to reach his target, the Hero would need to get through hundreds of innocent souls. No hero would be willing to slaughter the very people he is out to save, and while he conflicts with himself, Gannondorf could easily give the order to have him brought up. Yes, it was a perfect plan. Turn the Hero's people against him, and slay him as a treasonous mongrel.

Everything was going according to plan, precisely as he knew it would. This victory would be a sweet one indeed. Patiently, Ganondorf continued to watch Link's actions with interest, anticipating the satisfying crack when he broke the boy's neck with his bare hands.

(Back to Link)

As he arrived in Kakariko once more, he found the shrine almost completely reconstructed. "Your people work fast, good Renaldo." Link bowed his head to the dark skinned man, who turned to regard the youth with astonishment. "It is good to see you again, Shaman. I've brought with me everything I need, but I need your help."

Renaldo nodded and approached Link, staring at his outfit in wonderment. More importantly, he noted the hilt of the sword he wore on his back. "You've got...the Master Sword?" He let his mouth hang open somewhat, knowing the power of the blade more than most. The way the sun was shining, it gave Link a very majestic appearance, enough to dispel any doubt Renaldo had ever held about his chances at victory. Clearing his thoughts and making himself seem a bit more casual, he replied. "What is it that I might help you with, young Link?"

Link smirked a bit, knowing what the man must be thinking. The presence of the Master Sword, in addition to the clothing he wore, was certainly something he had dreamed about. The shaman seemed to know quite a bit about the legends of the past, and most certainly recognized everything he saw Link posessing. "I need to know where I might find the evil king...I have always been able to detect a hint of his presence in the past, but now there is nothing." He looked up slightly into the sky, pure eyes narrowed in thought.

"Link, have you encountered this presence before?" Renaldo wondered aloud, more of a question to himself that he didn't expect an answer to.

"I've faced Ganondorf many times, yes...But each time he has been careless, making himself known from the very beginning and displaying his power without shame." At that, Link dismounted. "But this time there is nothing. It disturbs me greatly."

Renaldo's eyes widened as Link spoke that name, almost choking on his tongue as he realized what the youth was saying. "King Ganondorf...He is the evil presence?" He had been blind if so, following the king without fail, always taking suggestions when it came to his village's prosperity. Ganondorf had been a great help to keeping peace and stability in Hyrule, but now this youth seemed to think that he was the supreme evil. "Clearly you must be mistaken, young Link...The king is a good man."

Link's eyes were somewhat narrow at that, stopping in place as he was walking toward Renaldo. "Ganondorf...is the king? The king of Hyrule?" He let the question linger in his mouth, the very feel of the words giving him a foul taste. "That isn't possible, Renaldo. The man with the dark skin and the orange hair?" He had to clarify, knowing full well that his fears were well founded. If Ganondorf was truly the king, he would have a lot of trouble confronting him.

"Yes, Link. King Ganondorf. His line has ruled Hyrule for many years, and there has been nothing but peace during those times. For you to accuse him of being the evil I've sensed...That's something I'm afraid I can't accept."

Link sighed, beginning to walk toward Renaldo once more. He drew the Master Sword and put it in front of Renaldo's face, displaying it. "Renaldo, this blade has been driven into him many times. Every time, he has been banished from this world. And every time, he returned with more power than the last. It took everything I had to defeat him, and he is truly evil incarnate. I know precisely what I'm saying, Renaldo...I am not the boy you once knew." His eyes were focused, staring into Renaldo's somewhat startled face.

"Link, I do not doubt what you tell me...Something in your words rings true. The evil I've sensed has been quite subtle. I suppose it is logical that the only way for it to remain hidden is to supress itself. But the king...I find it difficult to believe, but I suppose the sword in front of my eyes is proof enough that you know more about it than I do. You are a blessed hero, whereas I'm a mere shaman. If there is anything I can do for you, let me know." Renaldo bowed, trying to seem respectful to the youth. He was no longer in the presence of a boy, but someone he had always admired and did not want to offend.

Their interaction turned dark, the sky becoming a deep purple within seconds. They both looked up at the strange occurence, and it didn't surprise them when another creature of some sort fell from the sky. It was some sort of skeletal being, not much larger than Link, and it wore nothing but a cape and a sheathe for a broadsword on its back. Link spoke, looking to Renaldo. "I'll deal with this quickly, you may want to go into the shrine." With that, he drew his shield, his sword already drawn during the conversation. The skeletal form drew the large sword from its back and held it in both hands.

Link smirked, knowing how little of a chance that this thing had. He rushed forth and took a swing with his sword, slicing the skeletal thing in half before it could even react. Link turned and waited, knowing that such a simple creature wouldn't be sent to fight without a gimmick of some sort. Of course, he found out what it was. The bones came back together where they were split, and the glowing red eyes of the skeleton looked at him. The revealed teeth seemed to smile, having no skin to show expression.

Link was more than a bit confident in his skill, and wasn't worried about himself, but he did know that if he couldn't slay this thing quickly then it might get ideas about the villagers. This one didn't seem blinded by rage like the minotaur, and as such he couldn't risk turning to the field in case it didn't follow and stayed behind in the village. No, he had to be sure and keep it distracted. He made another lunge at the form, slicing it clean down the middle, but it reconstructed itself within a few seconds.

Link's gauntlets were constructed differently than they had been in the past. They still gave him great strength, but the thumbs and forefingers had a metal tip on each hand, the gloves covering all of his skin. He realized what the design was meant for, and got an idea as to how to deal with the new foe. He stood ready, this time waiting for the skeleton to mount its own attack.

To Link's surprise, the bony fingers began to glow. "It's a magic user!" Link found himself blurting to himself as he leapt to the side in order to dodge a bolt of dark lightning. It was fast, but with his focused reflexes, it was almost as if he were dodging a snail. Whatever Ganondorf meant for it to do, it didn't seem capable of doing it. 'Underestimating me is a bad idea,' He thought almost arrogantly, dodging bolt after bolt of the skeletal figure's lightning. He was standing near the exit of the village, so that all the bolts strayed harmlessly into the rocky wall behind him. He decided to make a quick move.

He pulled a bomb from his magic bag, the size of it clearly more than the bag itself could physically carry. The wicks were coated with gunpowder at the tip for easy lighting. 'Perfect!' Link thought, appreciating the Great Fairy's modifications to his equipment in his absence. He rushed forward, holding the wick between his thumb and forefinger, his other hand holding his sword. As he reached the skeleton, he sliced it in two, and snapped the fingers of his right hand to spark the wick into ignition, forcing the bomb into the skeleton's rib cage before finally moving past it, turning to skid on his feet to a stop.

The foul thing turned to look at him after it put itself together, not seeming to notice the bomb in its chest. It tilted its head and chuckled, the sound an echo of darkness since the beast lacked any real voice. At that moment, there was an ear splitting boom and bone fragments spread around a fifteen foot area. Link sheathed his sword and walked to the fragments, tapping into Din's Fire, something he retained without holding any sort of item. It allowed him more focused control of fire, as opposed to an explosion. His added experience with everything seemed to put things into far greater focus.

His hand was like a flame thrower, scorching the bones and causing them to melt easily while doing no harm to the ground around it. 'I can even control what does and doesn't get effected...That could come in handy.' He thought to himself, feeling another surge of confidence as he continued to melt the bones. "Ganondorf can do all he likes, but I'll be prepared this time." After the bones were completely vaporized, he shrugged and turned back to the shrine, which Renaldo stood outside of with crossed arms.

"Link, you're quite powerful indeed...But do not let your guard down. Ganondorf is not one to trifle with. He has had traitors in his midst before, and none of them survived more than a moment after he discovered them. You will need to tread carefully if you wish to put his reign to an end." Renaldo looked to the spring, and then to Link. There was most certainly a difference between the boy he sent into the spring and the Hero he saw now. This powerful being who now lived in the boy's body was somewhat arrogant, and that troubled the shaman greatly. 'There is more than one way to lose a fight, and overconfidence can be the downfall of someone like him. Be careful, Link, I don't want to see you fail.' With one last shake of his head, he retired into his shrine.

Link nodded to the shaman. "Yes, Renaldo...I should be more careful. Things are not always as they seem, and I need to take it slowly. Rushing blindly in to attack him would be a bad idea. I need to think things through, but the longer I wait the more time he has to prepare. Hmm..." Link put his hand to his chin in thought. There had to be a way to reach the king without upsetting the people. Perhaps he could get the king to come to him...

(To Grindol)

The old man put his skin and bone hands on his head and let out a low groan of frustration. "Gah! This kid is something I've never dealt with before! He treats my creations like they're toys! I won't allow that; No, I won't! I'll deal with him myself! It's better than sitting here and waiting to die...The King can find a new chief wizard, I am going to teach this child a lesson even if it costs me my life!" The old man took one last look around the chamber, and with his magical senses, took a check for his master. He was addressing the people as he often left to do. "Good...He will not notice I have left." With that, the elder man tapped into his magic reserve and vanished from the room to find somewhere to recuperate before his attack on the would-be hero.

(Ending Line)

Alrighty, review if you've got a problem with anything. Or if you don't have a problem with anything, that's always good. 


	11. The Crimson King

Got distracted for a while. Anyway, new chapter, another element of the plot revealed.

(Seperation Line)

Grindol left his chamber in Ganondorf's castle behind, almost certainly for the last time. Even if he survived longer than he expected, he would never return to the man. Something in his manner got on Grindol's nerves more than anything should have. It didn't matter anymore; The wizard knew precisely where he needed to go. His spell had transported him to a land not too far from Hyrule, but entirely different. The air smelled of death, and all one could hear were cries of despair and the sound of soft instruments and singing. There was a certain beauty to the music, but something one would expect at a funeral as opposed to where he stood. He was standing just inside the gates of a large castle constructed of a red stone...Some would say it shared the color of human blood.

Whether or not the stones were natural, or altered in some way to obtain their distinct color was unknown to the wizard. Frankly, he thought it best that he avoided the subject at all costs. He walked slowly, arms crossed and head bowed, through the reddened courtyard. The king of this land was not a man who feared much, and as such he had very few guards posted around the interior walls of the structure. The door into the throne room was massive, and the only guards Grindol could see were posted in order to help lift the massive blood red stone blocking the arched doorway.

He made his way past a few people, all walking with a solemn look to them. This kingdom was not known for its happiness and prosperity, but it was known far and wide for the almost insane cruelty of its king. If he ever went to war with a neighboring land, he won. Never in the history of his unnaturally long reign had the man lost a campaign. His army was large and well-fed, but of course they were not living in the castle. 'They're probably out conquering more territory to oppress.' The elderly wizard didn't like the king, but he knew that if anyone had a chance of dispelling Ganondorf's reign, and ending the threat of Link, then this man did.

Rumor has it that the king is not a man, rather a specter of some sort given mortal form through a ritual of sacrifice. Grindol was hesitant to believe such a thing, but dabbling in the dark arts as he did, he wouldn't say it was impossible. As it stood, the man was known as a tremendously powerful warlord, and that was precisely what the feeble wizard needed. Ganondorf could not be trusted to reign over Hyrule, and neither could the one he sought help from, but both Link and Ganondorf needed to be disposed of if Grindol wanted to live past the next month. Self preservation was Grindol's highest priority, not the well-being of Hyrule.

As he made his way to the massive stone door, the guards standing at attention began to crank a rather large mechanism, lifting the massive weight of the block inch by inch. Grindol waited patiently, violet robe pulled over his head so he could avoid taking note of the crazed look in the eyes of the guards. Another rumor pertained to the guards and the king's warriors; Apparently they were widely believed to be demons wearing human flesh. Grindol didn't fear dark magic much, but he didn't want to test the rumors more than he needed to. Once the door was cleared for his height, the wizard stepped into a massive blood red chamber easily the size of Hyrule castle's largest rooms, if not much larger. Not a single ounce of the room showed color aside from a bloody red. Some parts were darker, such as the throne itself. The darkest red of all, though, was the full-body suit of plate armor worn by the castle's chief resident, the king.

Having already gone so far into the chamber, Grindol had taken a gamble. He knew for a fact that the king had terrible 'mood swings', and on some days he would have all visitors killed without warning. If he were going to die anyway, it was worth the risk, so the wizard had decided earlier. He made it nearly halfway to the throne after a rather lengthy walk. Grindol risked a look up and noted the various trophies mounted on the walls of the gargantuan throne room...All of them shared the color of the walls, for they were hearts. The king was insane; Far moreso than any other man could believe. For every conquered land, the king of this poverty-stricken place would remove the former leader's heart with his bare hands...Or so legend states. Grindol did not fear this one, for he felt he could escape if necessary, but he knew that he needed help.

The wizard was stopped in his tracks, a massive and deep voice penetrating his thoughts without any sort of restraint. "I know it is not you, Grindol, who dares enter my chamber without announcing himself...Crawl back to your foolish master, I haven't the time to mingle with his servant." Yes, the king had a certain mastery of magic, most notably things involving the mind. He was apparently able to move objects with a simple thought, without using any true form of magic. Some would say that he was the most brilliant man to ever live, but those same people were usually trying to put themselves in his good graces. There was no life outside the king's good graces.

The only thing that saved him, of course, is the pact with Hyrule made eons ago between the past rulers of the land. They were to be at peace for eternity, and even this current ruler wouldn't break such a treaty, so sacred it was. Grindol thought to speak, but had to think of his words carefully. 'Best to be as humble as possible...' He opened his mouth and spoke in a soft voice, though the king surely heard it. "Most exalted king, I humbly come before you in order to enlist your aid. You see, the good king of Hyrule needs to be disposed of-" The wizard was cut off by a powerful hand around his throat. He brought his own hand up to relieve some of the grip's strength, but found nothing there.

As he gasped for breath, Grindol looked at the king to notice that he still sat regally, arms resting on the sides of the throne as one would expect. His massive red broadsword lay sheathed against the wall, and try as he might, the wizard could not lessen the crushing force around his neck. The king didn't even move, and the elderly spellcaster fell to the ground suddenly, breathing desperately, not sure of how long he would have such freedom. The almost-demonic voice boomed into his mind once more. "You know as well as I do that there is an unbreakable treaty between Hyrule and the Kingdom of Crimson. The Crimson King shall always respect the treaty, no matter how many years have passed, and no matter how many rulers have passed on their powers." The voice sounded almost angry, as if the Crimson King had detested the agreement as much as Grindol expected.

Coughing slightly, Grindol realized how wrong he had been to underestimate the king. He had tried to escape the crushing grip, but found himself in too much agony to concentrate on a spell. He could indeed be killed here and have nothing to show for it. "Yes...honorable king of the crimson lands...I am aware of the treaty. But who is there to challenge your power? You could so easily cast aside any opposition to your conquest..." He spoke in a strained manner, hoping to keep his voice clear enough to be heard. His throat still felt as if it were being crushed, although he had been released a fair amount of time ago.

"Grindol, you do not know the power that I wield...But even I know that there are forces beyond mortal comprehension. King Ganondorf wields two parts of the Triforce; I know this for a fact. The third is held by a young boy named Link, one of immeasurable power. The Triforce was created by the Gods before time existed...And those Gods are what bind the agreement." The king actually gave Grindol the courtesy of standing, letting himself leave the throne behind. His deep red armor covered every single bit of his body. It had dozens of joints worked in, all lined beneath with a chain-mail protection. The King's helmet had a tiny slit for his eyes, but no light entered it. His cloak was somewhat lighter in shade than the rest of his armor, but it extended to his ankles and completed the terrifying image of the Crimson King.

No man who crossed him survived. There was some secret to his power, but as of yet, nobody could find a source. 'It must have something to do with the legends of demons and other such dark entities,' Grindol found himself thinking, noting the imposing figure of the king as he made slow steps through the chamber to meet the humble old wizard. "Most honorable Crimson King, I beg of you...The king of Hyrule is falling into madness...King Ganondorf seeks to re-unite the pieces of the Triforce and bend the world to his will. After such a feat is accomplished, there can be no stopping him! Even the Gods will not be able to permanently end his reign. He will come for you, as well, once his victory is assured. A pre-emptive strike is far more effective. Please; I know you can feel the truth of my words." Grindol poured his heart out...He needed this man's power if he planned on surviving.

The king finally reached Grindol, who was practically grovelling at his feet. The lord spoke with his true voice, as opposed to the mental projection of it, and the wizard liked the sound of this one even less. "Very well, Grindol...You seem to know precisely what is going on...You will become my new advisor. Should anything go wrong with your plan, not only will I have a new trophy for my collection..." He stopped briefly to admire the dried up hearts adorning his walls. "But your soul will know eternal torment...Not even death will save you from this point on, my dear advisor...You had better hope that there is no interference from the Gods. Before I am cast away, I will be certain of your demise." The bloodied armor of the king seemed to glow faintly now that Grindol was close enough to it.

"Yes, of course, my King..." The wizard knealt low, doing his best to show obedience. At this, the crimson-clad king chuckled in a way that made the magician shiver.

"Yes, your king indeed...Perhaps king of all lands once the true Triforce belongs to me..." With that, he turned back to his throne. "I am going to make preparations. Advisor, see to it that you do not make a nuisance of yourself in the mean time. Hyrule will fall before me within a week..." The Crimson King sat on his throne, armored hands letting fingers intertwine as he thought to himself. 'Yes...the other half will finally be mine...'

(To Ganondorf)

"Grindol, you fool..." The strongly built king of Hyrule had entered Grindol's chamber hoping to persuade some more test subjects out of him. Finding the room empty would not work in the previously trusted wizard's favor. "You were not given permission to abandon your quarters...The consequences will be dire indeed, my old friend, should you show yourself to me again..." He maintained his calm demeanor even though none were around to appreciate it. The wisdom given to him by the Triforce revealed how useful it was to remain cool under pressure, as it were. His people loved him for his constant inspiration, always keeping stable, never making rash decisions...The wisdom truly was the only thing that allowed his plans to proceed so smoothly this time around. 'And this time, Link will die.'

(To Link)

Looking around, Link noted the aftermath of his battle with the minor skeletal mage. Nothing truly remained other than small singed fragments of bone. He shrugged them off and went to the shallow waters of the Light Spirit's lake. "How could I get Ganondorf to face me, as opposed to going after him myself...?" He wondered aloud, hoping the answer would come to him somehow. Every time in the past, he had been practically invited to the castle, no innocents to block his path. He could not simply attempt to kill the king without expecting the citizens to work against him. It was a delicate situation this time; It was something Link had never dealt with before. He needed to think of something, otherwise Ganondorf may end up winning by default.

(Gerudo Desert)

The Great Fairy floated above her small fountain calmly. Her inner thoughts were troublesome indeed...'Destiny is taking its course...The final confrontation of good and evil is indeed approaching. Everything is happening precisely as predicted, and while my dearest champion Link is truly powerful beyond words...I am not sure that even he can prevent evil from eclipsing us all...'

(Ending Line)

Alright, new character. He's very, -very- important to the way things go. Take special note of the Crimson King's last thought; It's a hint as to where the story is going. 


	12. Flawed Savior?

Here we go!

(Seperating Line)

If Grindol had left any earlier, the King of Hyrule might have been more upset. As it stood, he was angered by the sorceror's sudden departure, but he could easily live without the aid of the decrepit old man. The use of his summoning magic had already passed, now that Link's power had been awakened. Now all he needed to do was demonize the young boy in the eyes of the Hylian public. The people already loved Ganondorf, and to finish his ultimate victory, he needed to turn them against the hero of the past.

It wouldn't be difficult. Not a word he said had been taken without cheers and applause by his subjects, and an announcement of a new enemy would be nothing new. Ganondorf had easily washed away all political rivals by claims of treason and the like, despite many accusations placed on his own shoulders of the same crime. His people were far more inclined to believe their trusted king than the words of a corrupt council member. That is why he had such obedience in his castle; If the king didn't trust someone, the entire land treated that unfortunate person as an outcast.

The darkly armored king paced back and forth in Grindol's chamber, waiting for a good oppurtunity to reveal Link's name and face to his guards. First he would let them know about the mysterious youth from his dreams, and from there the image would get clearer and he would reveal the identity to all his people. Yes; Let the people believe in his prophetic nature to sense all incoming evil. Some had even been murdered in the streets after a mere hint of foul play by their hand, as told by their omnipotent leader.

Ganondorf's rule was much stronger than his people believed. His word was enough to drive the peaceful inhabitants into a frenzy. The people of Hyrule in the past had been almost pacifist in nature, but with this new no-tolerance king at the head, they did not realize how brutal their society had become. While they thought they acted entirely of their own free will, even Ganondorf had impressed himself by the subtleties of his magic. They did not even realize that he had them almost entirely under his control. With Link gone, he would soon be able to take the final step and create an entire kingdom worth of soldiers to aid in his final assault on the Sacred Realm.

It was no longer about power. He already had enough power to rule the entire world...No, what he wanted now was revenge. Revenge against the boy whom had always appeared to put a halt to his reign. Revenge against the unseen forces residing in the Sacred Realm, which had always prevented his complete control of the Triforce. After eons of planning, the timeless demon of a man could finally see ultimate victory coming from the horizon. It was something he was eager to achieve, but with experience he knew better than to rush it. 

Always defeated in the past due to carelessness on one part or another. He had always let that fool of a princess find some way to aid the boy in his quest. He never had the chance to fight with his own strength against the boy on equal terms. There was always some divine intervention...But now, with two portions of the Triforce, Ganondorf finally had the upper hand in that regard. An uncharacteristic wave of excitement passed over the armored figure as he turned out of Grindol's empty chamber, maintaining his divine image to the guards and choosing to hint at an unknown enemy that may be approaching the castle soon.

Even Ganondorf didn't know how right he was.

(To Link)

Another dream. Something that he couldn't understand. He knew one of the men locked in struggle to be Ganondorf. The other, however, he could not even imagine. His armor was red, much like blood, and his movements were incredibly precise, almost demonic in nature. Even with this seemingly otherworldly skill, the demon clad in red plate was making no ground on Link's sworn enemy, and the same was true the other way around. The hero wanted to act, perhaps putting an end to both of them, but found himself to be nothing more than an observer.

The two combatants leapt apart, putting a fair distance between each other. He saw Ganondorf hold up his hand, which held two bright triangles of the Triforce. His face looked as if he were bragging to the unsettling visage of the other, who had taken his helm off to reveal something that Link couldn't describe; Mostly because his sight could not comprehend it in his dream state. The mysterious man held up his own hand, showing the back of it to Ganondorf. As hard as Link tried, he could not gain a clear understanding of what was being shown, but Ganondorf looked almost angry; frustrated...Without further hesitation, the two began fighting again...

...And Link awoke. He looked around, noting that he had once again fallen asleep in Renaldo's basement. The shrine had been something of a comfort to him the last few days, acting as a home even after his own village had been erased. It was something that even the hardened warrior needed, thinking back on all the things he had left behind over his many lives. He sat up, still dressed in his tunic from the day before, and reflected on how small his victories in the past had truly been. He spoke aloud, if a bit softly. "Every time, there was suffering...Destruction...fear...It spread through the land each time the evil rose. There is no reversing those feelings of despair. Every time they ended, they came again, even if not in the same generation...This time, it needs to stop."

Link stood up, making a private declaration. "This time, Ganondorf, I will ensure lasting peace!" He had taken up a somewhat more determined attitude than he intended, and only then did he realize that he wasn't alone. Renaldo leaned against the wall, smirking at the confident youth. He stood straight, still taller than Link despite recent changes to the boy's mannerisms.

"You are strong, and you do have a sense of justice...Your countless good deeds in the past have earned you many titles. The Hero of Time, chief among them. I suppose that title holds true now, seeing as you've been the one to defend us over so many generations." He approached the somewhat embarassed Link with a soft chuckle, stopping a few steps away from him. "But there is something coming from the East, Hero of Time. It is something you may not be familiar with, due to an ancient pact between kingdoms. Unfortunately, the prophacy reveals details of this new force's role in the conflict." Renaldo's usually calm expression had been showing too much worry and doubt over the last few days.

The Shaman didn't like being so dire. He wanted to believe in peace just as much as the enthusiastic hero, but he knew how difficult the struggle would really be. Even the Great Fairy obviously hadn't mentioned the final part of the story of Link's destiny. While it was never said that the Hero of Time would be slain, it was made perfectly clear that evil would emerge victorious. Renaldo had figured out the true meaning of the prophacy, as had the Great Fairy. In his dreams, Renaldo's fears had been confirmed by the beautiful being so few had ever set eyes on.

She told him the nature of evil's victory. Righteousness would fade from the world, so it told, because Link would be turned from the light. In short, the great Hero of Time would become the ultimate evil that no living thing could defeat. For safety reasons, neither the powerful Shaman nor the incredibly wise Great Fairy had chosen to reveal his true destiny. To look at this boy making oaths to stop the evil once and for all was enough to give the man some confidence in their situation, but he couldn't deny the accuracy of the predictions so far.

Link looked into Renaldo's eyes for a good long while during his thoughts. The youth with more wisdom and power than the seemingly older shaman nodded once. "I'll be prepared Renaldo; You needn't worry about me. I can't be defeated like this...It goes beyond any question of arrogance. I cannot lose the fight against the evil forces opposing me." His expression was solid, determined. Renaldo saw the fires burning in Link's eyes as he stared back with a blank face.

The Shaman's thoughts were entirely his own. 'If such a thing is true, I hope there is someone who can defeat the evil no doubt already working within you...Anger at past losses, frustration at your inability to stop the evil once and for all...Shadows must always exist in the light, even in the form of shade. It seems harmless, even beneficial; However, even shade is darkness, and until you realize just how dark it truly is, it cannot be understood. I hope against hope that you will remain true to yourself, young Link.' He then spoke softly. "I believe you, Link...You certainly are a force to be reckoned with." With that, the somewhat dejected Shaman turned his attention to some sort of relic to clean.

Link maintained his hard stare for another moment, sensing doubt, wondering ow it was possible that Renaldo still doubted him. His power was absolute, and nothing could stand in his way. He knew how easy it would truly be to destroy Ganondorf once and for all; Why couldn't the Shaman understand that? He placed his sword and shield upon his back, and with a somewhat strained yet still respectful nod, he ascended the ladder to the main room of the shrine before leaving the building. 'Perhaps I've been too careful...Ganondorf will no doubt make another move if I sit idly by. He probably wouldn't expect me to come looking for him.'

He was pleased to find Epona waiting for him, the horse no doubt sensing his unrest. He mounted and turned toward the path leading out to the field. 'I will make them respect my strength...All of them will know why I am the Hero of Time...They'll understand my power, no matter how much they doubted me previously!' Another declaration, this time within his own head to avoid onlookers. He would destroy the evil, even if it were only for himself. Even his great wisdom and understanding of peace from the ages could not prevent his annoyance. He should be seen as an absolute savior, not a foolish boy who needs his hand held...

(To the Crimson King)

As always, the king's army had been far more efficient than even their impatient ruler had given them credit for. They were already prepared for the considerably long march toward Hyrule, given only a day's time to prepare. The king, who never removed his armor, was almost certainly smiling, though nobody would ever know. Any attempt to see his face resulted in death, whether he was sleeping or not. Rumors abound in this kingdom; one of which stated that the king never sleeped, only changed positions for traditional purposes.

Crimson armor flashed in the sunlight as he exited his elaborately reddened hall, making his way through the red grass of his courtyard toward the back gates of his castle town, cape trailing in the wind. His army was reportedly assembled outside of that gate, back from a fresh conquest of a distant land. While the king wasn't surprised by their speedy movements, his newly appointed advisor was obviously uneasy.

"Perhaps there is truth to the demonic nature of these warriors..." The already aged Grindol seemed to have added several years to his visage after just a day among the Crimson King and his court. Even Ganondorf had not shaken the elderly wizard so dramatically, and although he thought himself to be a hardened and cold-blooded dark magic specialist, he felt a strong pang of unease surge through him when he saw two of the armored warriors carrying forth a man dressed in a noble's cloth. He was struggling without reward.

Grindol could only assume that this newly captured man was the ruler of the land the Crimson Army recently ravaged. With that thought, he saw the king walk to the struggling form carried between his unearthly soldiers. The wizard-advisor had to turn his head after his king lifted his right hand and slowly inched it toward the futilely struggling ex-nobleman's chest.

Grindol's violet robes had been replaced by blood red fabric as a symbol of allegience to his new king. It was not his color, and the fabric was not as comfortable as his old magically enhanced garb, but he couldn't spare any disrespect for the king's wishes. His will to disobey was further weakened when a tremendous crack resounded through the air, followed by a blood curdling scream, followed by utter silence. He heard the Crimson King declare something in an unfamiliar language, and had a strong feeling he knew precisely what had happened.

The army beside the wizard let out a monstrous cheer of victory, and Grindol gave himself permission to gaze upon the king once more. The sight almost made the hardened wizard retch, seeing the fresh hole in the opposing land's former lord, along with the still softly beating heart held in the king's hand. Worse than both of those sights combined, however, was the feeling of dread flowing through the wizard when he gazed at the back of the king's hand; The one holding up the heart. What he saw there made him instantly regret enlisting such a man's aid. 'Gods save me, what have I done?' He managed to think before practically passing out from shock...

(Ending Line)

Alrighty, a bit more setup before some confrontation happens. 


	13. Forces Converge

Alright, a bit disheartening that I've gone about 4 chapters without a review...Hopefully I get some feedback soon.

(Seperation Line)

(Grindol/Crimson King)

Even as Grindol's strength failed him and his legs buckled, the king gave him a cold glance. Although no eyes were truly visible behind the almost non existent slit in the blood red helm, the only thing seen being a pair of red glowing spheres, Grindol could tell that any signs of weakness would result in punishment. Seeing such a scenario in his mind, and briefly imagining himself in the now-deceased noble man's place, the elder wizard straightened and faked a cough. "Old age doesn't suit me, my lord..." He went out of his way to make himself sound even more feeble than he truly was. "But it has served to enhance my magic with experience."

The unearthly red orbs that passed for the king's eyes narrowed behind his armor. "Very well...But you should prepare for the coming journey; My soldiers move quite swiftly." After that simple statement, he turned his head back to the assembled soldiers, looking them over in a very detailed inspection. He would move to one, scan them with his eyes, observing each armored form, then quickly move to another. When he would spot an injury, he would place his right hand on the affected spot for a brief moment, then pull it away.

Even Grindol was surprised at how rapidly the seemingly crippling wounds were healed before his eyes. Broken limbs snapped into place within seconds, gaping wounds in the chest were sealed, and even the armor covering the gash was reformed perfectly. 'This man...His mastery over all forces of magic concerns me...And that hand...' Once again, beady old eyes of a violet hue gazed at the right hand of his new lord and king. 'I've made a dreadful mistake.' He cursed himself under his breath, turning away from the soldiers that would soon be unleashed on his former homeland.

As that imposing king made his way through the ranks, Grindol eyed the sun, perhaps seeking some form of salvation from the comforting warmth it usually offered. But in this land, even the sun was a disturbing shade of red, darker in shade than the bloody sky around it. The poor old man who was once a powerful wizard had to grasp his staff firmly to keep from falling over once more in despair. Something about this tainted land had sapped him of his very will to live. If he did not fear a fate worse than death from his new master, he very well might have brought himself to intentionally disobey orders to be granted release from his most recent and dire mistake.

(To Link)

The powerful youth sat on Epona's back, straddling her loosely to let her know that she could set her own pace. While others in the village may treat him like an uneducated child, he knew Epona well enough to trust her judgement. Although it may not be the same horse he knew from the past, it seemed to share the same spirit and affection for her handler. He would pat her neck tenderly, fully appreciating all that she did for him, and in return she would be as obedient as any animal could ever be. The Hero of Time gripped the hilt of his legendary sword, still in its sheathe, as if he were anxious to get involved in combat once more.

His wish to see the world rid of evil would be fulfilled at last, and he was to be the one to bring in the age of peace. Once Ganondorf was slain, perhaps he would simply take over as absolute ruler. He could make things exactly as they should be. He knew from experience just what made people happy and unhappy, and he was more than confident in his ability to work under pressure. Yes, the Hero of Time would be the ultimate ruler of Hyrule, as well as its worshipped and respected savior.

He liked the idea of having everyone's respect for once. In the past, his deeds would usually go without recognition, save for a few involved spirits and sages, as well as the princess who would always appreciate his deeds as well. Unfortunately for the hardened warrior, that was a factor that seemed to be out of the picture. Zelda had always been part of the royal family, but if Ganondorf ruled as the king, that must have meant that the princess no longer existed, unless related directly to the great evil King...After shaking his head to free himself of the unwelcome realization, he looked around the vast field he rode through. He could see the castle to the west, and he observed the magnificent building, wondering just how he would approach the so-called king and announce an end to his rule.

The guards, whether knowing it or not, would be his most difficult opponents. He didn't want to slay any innocents who might be unwillingly aiding the great evil everyone so feared, but he couldn't let them block his way into the castle. His only option would be to knock any opposition unconscious, and hope that he could hold enough of his strength back to prevent permanent damage. 'They wear helmets, so hopefully it won't be too difficult to keep them alive.' He thought to himself, finally taking his hand off the sword on his back. 'I won't draw my sword until I'm in sight of the King...That way I won't be tempted to carry out any excessive punishment.' While he knew his own limits, he didn't know the limits of the men and women employed by Ganondorf.

Surely, the guards on the surface would be the average humans he would expect to protect a castle. More of a decoration than fully functioning guards; They would be easy enough to dispatch. Surely, though, a man like Ganondorf wouldn't trust his personal safety to a group of mere mortals. It was his underlying protectors that concerned Link the most. He expected all manner of demons and magic users, but he was prepared for anything. At this point in his considerably long existence, he knew that nothing thought up by the evil king would truly surprise him.

He was now approaching the front of the town surrounding the castle. The gate was open, as was typical during peaceful times, and he found no guards posted at the gate. He expected that they would only be found close to the castle, which would make it easier to plan around them. Dismounting from his trusted steed, the hero looked toward the town and took in a deep breath. 'The evil will end...today.' Little did Link know, he was already one of the most hated men in the kingdom.

(Ganondorf)

Link was doomed the moment he dismounted from his horse and walked through the gate into the town. Every living soul in Hyrule knew exactly what he looked like, and even knew the sound of his voice. The evil yet well-loved king had gone to great lengths to put Link's very essence into the mind of his loyal subjects. Thanks in no small part to his immense power over magic, Ganondorf had made them think that Link was an age old rival of the king, seeking to overthrow the old ruler and take the kingdom into his own incapable hands. It was partially the truth, but he left out the fact that the hero would likely save them all from the damnation already being planned by their current ruler.

He figured it best to let them think about things incorrectly, to let them assume that the man wielding a sword and shield had a thirst for blood. The king himself had no weapon, and only wore his armor for traditional purposes, or so his people thought. In truth, Ganondorf had found a rather suitable match for the Master Sword, courtesy of his past relatives in the royal family. There were all sorts of magical artifacts, both pure and evil, that were passed down the royal line, but those of a darker nature were often kept entirely secret, to prevent anyone from becoming tempted by their power. Ganondorf, of course, had enough of a reputation of benevolence to completely override the council's decision to keep certain artifacts hidden.

That, of course, is where he came across his armor as well. Runes invisible to any human eye were engraved all along the surface of the darkened armor. The evil artifacts he used in combat were a mystery, even to those elders on the council of Hyrule who had supposedly outlived all other mortals in the realm. But no, Ganondorf knew enough about them to awaken their true potential, allowing him to rival even the Hero of Time and his Master Sword. "Yes, the people will dishearten him enough...But when he does eventually reach me, he will be shamed in combat by the peaceful king of the land." The irony of it was rich enough to bring forth a genuine chuckle from the man.

"Yes, Hero of Time, come to your doom..." He knew the people couldn't stop him, as he had originally hoped, but their attempts to put a halt to his plan would deal a blow to the man's resolve, perhaps weakening his will to fight. Then, after such a long time, the hero known as Link would finally know defeat.

(Crimson King)

His army was already moving much more quickly than he had predicted, and Hyrule was only a few hours away at the current pace. He could have them move faster, but such was completely unnecessary. The rather immortal Crimson King had waited long enough to claim Hyrule--and his true desire. He could wait a few hours longer. Besides, he'd prefer to have his guide living and breathing when he made it to the castle walls, but moving any faster might very well cause the older man to drop dead from exhaustion. The king could already detect the magical forces at work while the dark wizard struggled to keep up with the sprinting army.

The King didn't even seem to walk swiftly, yet he easily kept up with the army, who seemed to be giving almost all their effort into running. They had no use for mounts, as even most well-bread race horses would tire out long before these inhuman soldiers, and most weren't even capable of moving so swiftly. Whether through magic or some trick of the eye, the King always seemed to stride regally beside them, yet never fell behind. It was unsettling to the master spellcaster who accompanied them, giving all his power to his legs in order to keep himself hovering swiftly over the uneven ground.

'I no longer doubt the demonic nature of these warriors...They cannot possibly be human, or even mortal! If only there was a way to fix this horrible mistake I've made...' Thinking only of his own failures, Grindol didn't realize just how close they truly were to Hyrule. As minutes passed, the sky was suddenly turning blue and clear. An apparent peace began to wash over the wizard, and he was once again able to find his inner power and replenish his magical reserves, letting his pace quicken just slightly with little effort. He was heading home once again, but this time it would be decimated if the insane Crimson King had things his way.

(Link)

As he walked past the gate into the town, the first thing Link noticed was the way the inhabitants looked at him. It was as if they were in shock, having never seen such an astounding sight as the plainly dressed warrior with a rather generic--if one wasn't sensitive to magic--sword and shield. And yet, with each passing second, their glances became more threatening and less curious. They were holding their ground, but Link could sense something in their eyes...fear perhaps?

As he moved toward the castle, not entirely familiar with this somewhat redesigned castle town, he noticed that some of the citizens held brooms and even rather shoddily designed swords. 'Do they intend to fight me?' He thought as he brought himself to a stop. 'So much for a peaceful Hyrule...' At that, one of the younger, more able men in the crowd rushed forward with a spear extended toward the surprised Link.

Without much effort, the green clad warrior gripped the spear with both hands, putting a halt to its momentum. The man holding it kept going, however, and lost his grip on the shafted weapon. As he stumbled forth, Link caught him by the collar of his shirt after dropping the spear harmlessly to the side. "You tell these people that I mean no harm...I seek audience with your king." He kept his voice as calm as it could be, but the hatred in the people's eyes was causing him a great deal of discomfort.

The man's eyes narrowed, and when he spoke, Link could feel something out of place. "Our king doesn't deal with petty rivals seeking his throne...We don't want him to be distracted by dealing with you, Link!" The man grabbed Link's wrist in an attempted show of defiance. He tried to get the immensely strong grip loosened from his collar, but found himself fighting a losing battle. The strong grip's owner, Link, wasn't even trying too hard to keep the man held. His mind was on other matters.

'They know my name? And yet they try to stop my passage? Apparently they don't know much of the old legends...Or Ganondorf has poisoned their minds somehow...' The more he thought about it, the more the latter seemed to prove itself. Looking at the people, the fear in their eyes didn't match the determination with which they held their weapons. There were other forces at work, forces that most certainly originated in the castle from its king.

Link had no time to deal with innocent people, and so he tossed the man, who was light as a feather as far as Link was concerned, into the fountain in the center of the plaza. Everyone took a cautious step back, weapons ready. "No harm will come to any of you...so long as you stay out of my way. I -will- be granted an audience with your king, with or without your interference...Make it easier for all of us." His eyes narrowed, the pure blue of the hero seeming to soothe the nervous people somewhat. Their weapons relaxed slightly and he let out a sigh of relief. 'Perhaps they'll see sense after all...'

Before Link had even finished his thought, the massive gate at the top of the incline leading to the castle moved to open abruptly, the force behind it obviously a powerful one. To the Hero of Time's complete surprise, the man who opened the gate was none other than Ganondorf himself, clad in an imposing suit of darkened brown armor. The cape was a pure black, seeming to absorb the light around it, and his helmet was nowhere to be seen, so that the unique orange shade of his hair was known to all, as well as the unhealthy greenish hue of his skin. Before anything was said between the two, Link unsheathed his sword and put his shield in his right hand. "Your majesty..." He said as respectfully as he could, even while putting himself into a proper fighting stance.

"Link...Hero of Time...We meet at last as we should. Each of us has full knowledge of every meeting we've ever had, and they've all turned out the same...However, this time, I have the upper hand." The great king of evil, Ganondorf, showed the back of his right hand to a rather startled but still determined Link. The two portions of the triforce representing Power and Wisdom were glowing brilliantly through the ominous gauntlet covering the king's hand. "This time, boy, you will have no help from that meddling girl you called a Princess...This time, it is only you and I." With that, he extended his right arm and said a single word of unknown origins.

In that previously empty hand formed a wicked blade forged of a black metal, covered from hilt to tip with glowing red symbols of power. The sword had never been known by its name, but somewhere in Link's subconscious, a word rang through. It was a word not uttered by anyone for a very long time, but it was a word with many meanings. Chaos, Hatred, Evil, Death...Each of them could be expressed by this single word spoken in the language of the sages. "Xaxas..." The word was natural and it flowed off of Link's tongue, but the taste it left behind was not near as pleasant.

The youth did not faulter, even at the sight of the Triforce pieces and the legendary sword said to be the equal of any sword in existence, even the Master Sword he used for himself. Somewhere in the youth's mind, he knew that he would triumph. Good would destroy the evil, just as light always pushed back the darkness. It was a constant truth, and nothing could dispute it. King Ganondorf held the imposing sword-- easily twice the length of Link's own and clearly designed for two hands-- in his strong arm and had the point facing the hero, thinking thoughts completely different from Link's own. In his mind, evil had always been the lesser of two forces. Courage and Wisdom were always aligned against Power, which was truly little good on its own. But now, the scales had been tipped immensely in his favor.

As both warriors stood facing each other, both confident in their guaranteed victory, the people of the town were frozen in place. At first, it seemed as if the sight before them was so awe inspiring that they simply stood speechless, but upon further inspection by Link, they were revealed to literally be frozen in time by their King. "There will be no more interruptions...No more interference...This time, we fight to the death...And this time, I will be the victor." The cold, calm, calculating voice of Ganondorf echoed through the silent plaza, and although the sun was shining brightly, the world seemed to get darker by the second. Link looked around with narrowed eyes, sensing something wrong just as the would-be king seemed to do the same.

The imposing figure was first to speak, his sword still pointing at the youth. "What trickery is this? You seek to darken the world you so desperately wish to fill with light?" His tone was somewhat mocking, yet not quite as calm and easy as it had always been. When Link simply shook his head in response, the king of Hyrule narrowed his eyes and looked up. The sky was, indeed, darkening...But it wasn't turning to night.

The very world around them was turning to the color of blood.

(Ending line)

Alright, that's the last chapter of build up, the next chapter is going to be quite massive, with a whole lot of revelations and fighting going on. Most questions will be answered, and there are only two or three chapters left. 


	14. The Other Half

Alright, I would really like to have some reviews. Please review if you read, even if you've already reviewed before! I need as much feedback as possible.

(Seperating Line)

The Crimson King's soldiers had once again moved faster than their leader had expected. Although he wasn't surprised, he was most certainly satisfied by their performance. A quick glance to his newly appointed advisor revealed what he already knew: They stood at the gates of Hyrule Castle's surrounding market and residential area, known as the Castle Town. The sky above his army had already begun to change to a more suitable color, the sun becoming corrupted in the same way. No land could remain beautiful so long as the King was present.

The King had a rather strange obsession with the bloody red shade that made his armor so intimidating. Early on in his considerably lengthy reign, he had gone through all the necessary motions to make his entire kingdom share his love for the color. Nobody truly understood what he saw in the pigment, but something about seeing it day and night had apparently transformed his army into a bloodthirsty, inhuman group of rampaging demons.

Although their unnatural strength and endurance was certainly brought about by some magic on the part of the King, they would have looked to have been born with bloodlust coursing through every fiber of their being. The relatively small army, only about one hundred soldiers, stood patiently outside the castle town waiting for the order from their king. While they were trained to appear calm and prepared in all situations, their king knew precisely how much they wanted to slaughter the owners of the blood his soldiers could most certainly sense.

The king in question was walking slowly back and forth in front of the ranks of his men, performing one more inspection to make sure that the strenuous pace hadn't damaged any of his precious soldiers. After assuring himself that they were indeed healthy and able, he turned to regard the castle itself. He crossed his arms, the plate and chains of his armor were clinking and rubbing somewhat unpleasantly together as they came into contact with each other. His helmet remained firmly attached to his head, and he finally turned once more to face his army, having observed the castle long enough.

"Soon, my warriors, this land will be ours like so many others...But this will be no ordinary victory, not by any sense of the word! This is the day that your king becomes complete!" He raised a heavily armored hand into the air and let out a cry that could not have been human, or even demonic...It seemed as if it were some other creature that truly existed, yet wasn't known to the trembling wizard in back of the ranks. The other shouts that followed, however, were certainly of otherworldly origins.

Grindol thought and thought about how to save his beloved Hyrule. While he had no love for its ruler, and its people were usually mere playthings when he wished to test his magic, he still preferred the peaceful land to what this Crimson clad king seemed to want. Running through his mind a dozen spells he would need to utilize in rapid succession, the bony old magician finally stepped toward the bloody ruler. "Oh glorious King of Crimson, what might I do to aid you in this battle?" His voice was as respectful as the frightened elder could manage, doing his best to keep up a good image.

The King merely looked at him for a moment as the triumphant cries of his army died down. "You, my loyal advisor, need not do anything but watch." His voice hinted at a sadistic smile beneath that solid helmet. "You wish to see your previous king slain, yes? Find a good place to observe, and enjoy the sight...It will happen within the hour." He put his hand on the balding wizard's head and pat it as if it were the head of a young child.

This simple act of disrespect set something off in Grindol's mind, something that should not have come forth. It was anger that the man had never known, being treated like such a snivelling little child. While in any other situation, Grindol would have been completely unable to raise a hand against the king for fear of his own life, now a radiant purple aura flared into life around his slight frame. "I won't allow you to destroy this kingdom!" His beady eyes now glowed with what onlookers would call an immense magical energy.

Although the astonishing display of power startled the warriors of the king's army, the leader himself simply stood, arms crossed once more. He had his large, blood-red broadsword sheathed on his back, making no effort to draw it. "Oh...Is that the truth, dearest advisor? You wish to stop me from destroying this pathetic kingdom? So many others have fallen, yet none have mourned their passing...And none shall mourn this one, either." He snapped his armored fingers, and Grindol let out a massive shout far too powerful for such an old man to generate.

The raw fury burned the elder wizard's throat, and he thrust both hands toward the king he now hated so deeply. Dozens upon dozens of shards of pulsating purple energy flew from his fingertips with such velocity that even the king was surprised at the force with which they came at him. Grindol allowed himself a slight smile, having hidden his true power from all who had ever known him...He wanted to see what he himself was capable of, and now was a wonderful time to test it. As his fury collided with the Crimson King, he was quite confident in victory...

(Link & Ganondorf)

"Something foul has stepped into this land, O Great King of Evil...Something perhaps more corrupt than you." Link's voice was solemn, realizing the truth of his words. His eyes remain fixed to the blood red sky, sword and shield still gripped firmly in his hands. The one to whom he spoke was watching the sky as well, seeming to be startled by the new change in the environment.

"So it would seem, cursed Hero of Time...Perhaps it should be dealt with properly; This is my kingdom, after all..." His voice trailed off as he realized what he had accidentally offered. "A temporary truce, hero of time. Our quarrel has stood a very long time; It can stand a brief moment longer." Saying the words seemed to almost pain the burly, dark skinned man as he brought the massive blade, Xaxas, to his side in a show of truce.

"Very well, Ganondorf...But we will end this once our new friend is dealt with. I've waited too long to let this go undecided." He nods once, returning his sword and shield to his back. He turned toward the gate he used to enter, blinking as he saw a massive purple flash coming from that direction, and very close. "Perhaps...that way?" He gave the king of Hyrule a quick glance, and the larger man's nod was all it took to send them both in the direction of the strange flash. Quite a sight it made, two men who had been fighting for centuries off and on, running side by side to face a common enemy...

(Grindol)

Pain shot through the spellcaster's mind as his assault came into contact with the king's ominous armor. The soldiers of the army stood at attention, still awaiting a coming order. While it was a kind of pain Grindol wasn't familiar with, he wasn't about to let himself be beaten by his own mental strain. His assault had risen quite the cloud of dust around his now most hated opponent, but he could not give in to his own limitations. Constant vollies of energy still shot forth from his fingertips, getting stronger with each passing moment.

Grindol could feel more than hear the impact of each superheated, incredibly swift blast of energy. Each minor explosion of raw power gave the old man a small bit more security. 'Not even this almighty Crimson King could withstand such power...' Perhaps it was arrogance, but perhaps it was the truth. When he finally gave in to his own exhaustion, more than a minute had gone by with each shard making satisfying contact with the king and his armor. No magical barrier had been erected, and nothing had softened the blow. At very least, Grindol suspected, his armor would be eradicated.

And yet, even as the withered magician fell to his knees helplessly, catching himself with his weakening hands, the Crimson King let out a soft, bone chilling chuckle. "Impressive, Grindol." The dust cleared in an instant, no doubt by the king's own will, to reveal a completely intact suit of armor with a very healthy man standing within it. "But it takes more than 'impressive' to do away with me." His hand was still in snapping position, having stood still to accept the betrayal of his new and untrusted advisor.

"Never fear, though, elder...I see no reason to slay you, as you've done nothing but loosen my joints a bit. You see, it has been a while since such a furious attack was sent my way. Reminds me of days past..." The king looked off into the sky as if thinking back on better days...Days when he was constantly under fire by powerful foes. "No, I think I'll let you live to see the destruction of your beloved land." He let out one more cycle of his haunting laugh, then fell silent. He brought his hand down, and suddenly his soldiers were filled with energy, moving swiftly past their leader even before Grindol could realize that the snapping of his fingers was the signal they awaited.

Even as the soldiers made it to the bridge leading to the first gate into the town, they stopped cold at the sight they witnessed. Even their demonic nature couldn't provide protection from such a frightening sight. Ganondorf's eyes had a golden yet sinister glow, and Link's were a pure blue. The two of them standing in the darkness with such illumination coming from their eyes was enough to unsettle even those mindless warriors. They had already armed themselves, Ganondorf wielding Xaxas and Link standing in a combat stance with sword and shield ready.

The Crimson King took note of their hesitation and in an instant, the first one to stop was engulfed in flames. It took less than the blink of an eye for the creature's scream of agony to fade into nothing, but the terror of that one second's worth of pain was enough to set the others back into motion. Ganondorf's eyes narrowed at the display of power. "No...It couldn't be..." He spoke softly, stepping forward. A majority of the soldiers ran right past him, concentrating on the easier pray within the town beyond. Link, however, wouldn't allow that, and the first one to get within sword length lost an arm before anyone could blink.

The Hero of Time stood defiant, staring into the eyes of each and every demonic warrior, as if challenging them to come at him. During this time, Ganondorf made it to the back of the relatively small troop to find their leader standing much as he had been before, Grindol still panting on his hands and knees. Seeing the pitiful and treacherous wizard made the king of Hyrule curl his lip somewhat in disgust. "Grindol, you simple minded worm...You've made a terrible mistake in bringing this army here." He spoke in his usual calm voice, but some people may have been able to detect the discomfort of his words.

The worn down, rather crippled magician couldn't gather enough strength to speak, still in shock due to the absolute failure of his full powered fury. The one clad in crimson armor, however, had no difficulty in answering the other's statement. "A mistake for some, but a fulfillment for others. I'll have your triforce fragments, Ganondorf..." With that, the Crimson King lifted his right hand and revealed the back of it. Even Ganondorf's usually solid composure seemed to shatter. The Hylian king clenched his teeth and let out a low growl.

"What trickery is this!?" He shouted rather unexpectedly, even earning a startled glance from the fatigued Grindol. "What is that on the back of your hand?" He pointed the tip of his wonderfully crafted and magically enhanced blade at the symbol on the back of the other king's hand.

It was the Triforce, but a pitch black representation of it. But it wasn't a mere decoration...It glowed with a black intensity that sucked in all light around it, as if feeding on the very essence of hope itself.

(Ending line)

Alright, that's the last chapter of build up. I say again. Please review if you read this! I want to know if it is good or not, and going 5 chapters without a review is more than a bit discouraging. I know people have been reading it, but none have left any thoughts or comments. Please review; It's not too much to ask, is it? 


	15. Showdown

Epic confrontation time. Please review, it's not asking that much, is it?

(Seperation Line)

Link was caught off guard for a brief second, but it was all the army needed to converge upon him. They were much faster than he had given them credit for, but even as strong hands seized him by the neck and arms, he fought back with little difficulty. Their hands were brushed off much like dust, fingers cracking and warping as the young hero gave them quick snaps with his shield. His sword was at his side. 'I need to do as little actual fighting as possible...That sword he has is nothing ordinary, and I don't want to damage my own weapon by hitting these demons in their armor.' After that thought, he leapt back to get distance between himself and his foes, putting his sword and shield in place on his back. He spread his legs into a defensive stance, holding his hands out to his sides as if challenging them.

'Looks like I'm going unarmed for now...' He smirked to himself. 'It will be a good warmup.' He clenched his leather covered fists as one of the soldiers charged, followed by two others. The first met Link's fist full-on, the crack of bone and armor echoing briefly before being drowned out by battle cries. The first unfortunate victim collapsed, spasming wildly with a smashed face. The other two warriors were then upon him, and three more were now in motion, their weapons drawn.

Two swords the color of blood were aimed precisely at Link's neck, swinging in opposite directions to avoid connecting with each other. He had no choice but to duck beneath them, barely keeping his head but leaiving his opponents vulnerable to a counter-attack. He sprang forward from his hands and knees, passing between the two confused adversaries, turning around and pushing their heads together with tremendous force. If not dead, they feel unconscious instantly and dropped in a heap to join their faceless brother. Link turned to notice that the three who had been charging now stood cautiously, weapons raised. He would need to come to them. With a smirk, he walked toward the suddenly-fearful army, bloodsoaked fists clenching with anticipation. The color of his eyes was changing; It was no longer a calm, blue glow, but more of a purple...

(Kings of Evil)

Ganondorf was still apprehensive about facing his chosen opponent. The Crimson King had always been a known threat, but not even the crazed nobleman would break a treaty overseen by the Gods themselves. 'No, he is here now, and that is all that matters...It is obvious why he has come...' The darkly armored monarch looked to the back of his hand, noting the two powerful symbols emblazoned on the surface. 'But what sorcery does he wield?' He regarded the black symbols of power so similar to the triforce, yet so unsettling to look at, with something akin to fear. 'There must be an explanation...surely it cannot be as it seems...' He still held his sword ready, anticipating any attack by his insane rival.

The Crimson King, still standing calmly, finally lowered his hand. "You seem surprised, Ganondorf, Great King of Evil, King of Hyrule, Lord of Darkness..." He listed off each title with a mocking tone, obviously finding amusement in the other man's discomfort. "Did you not know of the true nature of the Triforce?" He chuckles, his helmet adding a sinister echo to the already chilling sound. "There is balance in all things, Ganondorf. The Triforce is a brilliant source of power, thought to be divided into three segments...But when such a thing shines so beautifully, it absolutely must cast a shadow, yes?" As his explanation began, he reached to the dark red broadsword hanging on his back, drawing the absolutely massive blade with no effort into one hand.

Grindol stared in awe, the man's strength surpassing the elder's expectations. The explanation of the black power on his hand was unsettling, but something in the wizard's gut told him that he hadn't yet heard the worst part of the story. He fell onto his behind, scrambling backward like a frightened crab to distance himself from the incredible omen before him. His hands were charred and useless from the magical assault he attempted previously, and he was in no position to alter the course of this fight. No, Ganondorf and the unnamed King from the land of crimson had to fight fair and square.

As fair as it should have been, it was obvious from the first blow that the Crimson King was at a disadvantage. Ganondorf's blade was a magical one, and as such it sent the King's own back with little effort, despite its massive heft. Hyrule's ruler was laughing as he established dominance in the fight, causing the other to step back with each massive swing of Xaxas. There was a shower of black and red sparks as the two swords came into contact, and Ganondorf eyed the hand adorned with symbols of pure dark power. 'You will soon be mine, oh tainted power...And with you, I will smite the Hero of Time once and for all!' He performed a vertical slice, splitting the Crimson King's blade in half with the sheer force, and leaving the man's armored head otherwise unprotected. Xaxas was falling full force toward the head of the most ruthless man in all the world, save for Ganondorf himself. Eliminating the competition, perhaps?

(Link's Struggle)

As he waded into the mass of ruined soldiers, Link would tear their still-living comrades into literally dozens of pieces. He gripped one by the neck, squeezing with all of his might, chuckling in delight as the head simply popped off, helmet and all sent tumbling to the ground in an instant. He extended his foot toward the chest of another, causing an unsettling explosion of flesh and the sickening smack of raw meat on stone as the unfortunate demon's inner organs emptied from his body. The cries of agony did little to prevent Link's domination of the seemingly helpless horde of demons. Weapons feel upon him, but they were caught betwixt his fingers with no effort. He lifted them by their own weapons, sending them off the bridge and far into the distance with a grunt. His strength was increasing with each passing second, the triforce piece on his hand burning brightly.

He was truly at his prime, sending countless demonic foes to their deaths with simple movements. A kick here, an elbow there, and another wave of them would be sent scattering into each other. Until a measure of time passed, and suddenly Link was meeting a bit of resistance. His fists were no longer shattering bones, merely bruising flesh and sending opponents to their knees instead of slaying them outright. He found himself frustrated by this fact, putting more effort into his strikes.

The satisfying crunch of bone once again filled his ears, death being spread among even more demons. What the bloodthirsty youth didn't notice, however, is that each demon slain would revive itself soon after with more resilience...He was fighting an endless army of one hundred soldiers, each wave more powerful than the one previous. His blows were getting stronger by the second, but so were his foes...Soon his rate of progress may be dwarfed by those he fought.

(Xaxas Reborn)

The blade of Ganondorf's beloved sword struck home at full force, slamming the sharp edge directly into the Crimson King's prized helmet...

Only to be stopped cold, shuddering from the sudden loss of momentum and shaking Ganondorf's grip uncontrollably. There was an awkward silence as the Crimson enigma dropped his ruined broadsword, turning his head toward Grindol as if Ganondorf had not nearly sliced his head in two. "Treacherous Advisor, why do you fight when it is futile?" His voice was mocking as always, directing his questiones at Grindol, yet seeming to have them intended for Ganondorf. "When you know there is no chance at victory, what is it that drives you to fight?" He seemed genuinely curious, now, even as Ganondorf regained control of Xaxas and brought it horizontally across, aimed for the King's neck.

It was no use. The King had been feigning weakness, as was made evident by the way he caught the dread blade in his hand, completely stopping its motion once again. He held it strong in his grip, and Ganondorf struggled against losing the sword. It was no use. The Crimson King yanked once, tearing the blade Xaxas from Ganondorf's armored hands, as if he were taking a piece of candy from a baby. Ganondorf snarled, clenching his fists and roaring out his frustration...it was no use.

As the Crimson King held Xaxas by the blade, he admired it as if it were a child. He ran his armored hand over the runes adorning its blade, the magical inscriptions taking on a new glowing life as he did so. "I see...you've found my old sword, Ganondorf. A fine blade, but no use against its master." The Crimson one chuckled deeply, once more making a sound neither human nor demonic as he grabbed the sword by its hilt.

The blade began to glow furiously, seemingly revived as a torrent of magical energies awakened within. "A -very- fine blade indeed, but hardly living up to its potential in the hands of an amateur...You're a magician, Ganondorf, not a swordsman." He held the sword out to his side, sending it vertically into the ground. A shockwave nearly sent Ganondorf stumbling, but his resolve was strong still. "Fight me like a Warlock would. Use your magic, King of Hyrule...I want this to be a struggle for the ages, and you are coming up short..."

Even as Ganondorf nodded, punching his fists together to send a shock of purple energy coursing through his arms, he knew the truth about this situation. The same words echoed in his mind even as his face showed immense confidence. The same words that had likely gone through his own opponents many times before he shattered their resolve and took their lives.

It's no use.

(Seperating Line)

God, if you read, leave a review, I hate sounding desperate but it feels like I'm writing for myself and only myself. 


	16. Will All Be Lost?

Well, it's been a while. Hard to find motivation when people read but don't leave any comments--positive or negative. Oh well, I've come to terms with that. I figure I might as well continue on with the story! Like it or not, review. Or don't, since nobody has bothered all that much =P

(Seperation Line!)

Grindol was even more terrified than he had been at any point before in his life. His eyes, magnified by his overly magnifying glasses, could scarcely be believed. While his magical support had run out some time ago, he was slowly regaining strength. 'Another attack would be useless...Just a waste of energy.' He grimaced at the all-too-recent memory of his daring assault. 'I thought for certain he would kill me for such a thing. Perhaps he simply takes pleasure in how feeble I've become...' He caught himself grinding his teeth together in anger, staring at the man clad in bloody armor and wondering how such a force of malice could continue to exist in a world that allowed such heroes as Link.

'Where is that blasted boy anyhow?' Even as his mind wandered to the hero who very well could save the lives of those who were trying to slay him, the two kings were staring each other in the eyes. Ganondorf's hands held a glow of deep violet, burning with raw power and more than a little bit of the man's fury. He obviously didn't like losing, and he didn't even bother to blink, so furiously did he watch his opponent for any signs of movement.

To his credit, the Crimson King was rather still and silent. Despite having regained so much power in his blade, there was no arrogance in his demeanor now. He was in complete control of his base emotions; at least it seemed that way to Grindol. Chances are nobody would ever know what the hulk's thoughts were, and somehow the elder spellcaster felt grateful for that. A mind that could tolerate such cruel slaughter was not one that should be spread among others. Grindol's scorched hands clenched into the dirt he sat upon, still trying to find an outlet for his frustrations that didn't involve getting himself killed. 'There must be something I can do...' His thoughts had barely formed when the man wielding Xaxas spoke.

"Come, then, Ganondorf...I am prepared for you." He brought his glowing blade up with one hand, extending its length forward to point at the one he spoke to. His helm easily kept his face from view, but his red eyes had a piercing glow about them that could send fear into any who looked at them too closely. Ganondorf was staring at them with a tremendous amount of uncertainty. It was one thing to fight a boy such a Link, regardless of his strength, but this creature before him--for he could not be called a man--was a different thing entirely.

Without another word spoken, Ganondorf leapt with his arm pulled back, starting the battle anew.

(Link Time)

His hands continued to do the work for him, tearing skin straight from the bones of his adversaries. His eyes continued to deepen in their glow, the blue becoming violet, the violet even beginning to hint at a bloody hue. With each passing moment, he felt himself growing ever stronger, but he also felt the increasing resilience of those he fought. Looking about him, there was a surprisingly low amount of lifeless bodies. His awareness of his surroundings had been hampered by a growing bloodlust, but now he was beginning to see the truth behind it. There was no way to kill these creatures; at least not this way.

He felt a slight warmth at his back, the sky's color still a deep red thanks to the presence of the undeniably evil king from another land. He knew he would need to deal with him, and Ganondorf, but right now he had to find a way to handle the army of what seemed limitless numbers. There was a lull in the battle as his thoughts had wandered, the demonic beasts around him becoming more and more cautious in their approach. It seemed as if they detected a change in their opponent...something to inspire fear in their hearts like even their king could not.

(Kakariko Village)

The blood red sky had been a cause for panic among the villagers, and Renado had been doing his best to keep them calm. It was strange without Link there to help, and the shaman had feared it to indicate yet another attack upon the village. After a time, nothing came, and the sky only grew into a deeper shade of red. He sensed tremendous evil throughout the land, but there was a relative calm about it. 'The calm before a truly devastating storm, no doubt...' He interlocked the fingers on each hand beneath the sleeves of his long, formal robe. He had gathered most of the residents into his shrine, aside from those who insisted on remaining home to protect their family on their own. He hoped for their safety.

He allowed himself another glance out the window, the ground looking moistened by the red sky, as if blood had been seeping up through the dirt. He shook his head quickly, banishing the vision from his mind. It was dry and calm outside, but perhaps there was a truth to that ominous thought...If this indicated what he thought it might, there would be little hope for this village, or the rest of the kingdom; perhaps even the entire world they rested upon. Blood would no doubt come from above and below, so much of it would permeate the lands. If Link's inner darkness could not be conquered, even Ganondorf would cower as a child before him.

With a soft sigh, the shaman Renado shook his head slowly, turning away from the window to heed the call of a young woman who needed reassurance. He only hoped he was not spreading false certainties by telling everyone it would be alright.

(Link)

He didn't quite understand what the demons were so afraid of, but he took advantage of it. Perhaps if he couldn't kill them, he could dispose of them long enough to go find and deal with their master. Rushing forth with a shoulder in front, he bowled into the ranks of red armor, spreading his arms in an attempt to send them off the bridge and into the astoundingly deep valley below. With shrieking cries, a fair amount of the hundred-strong force had been cast aside. Link looked about quickly, assessing whether or not they had simply returned to the battle from the pit. Satisfied with the lack of composure in those fearless warriors, he stood to his full height and cracked his neck. Bringing a bomb forth from his heavy pack, he snapped on the wick to light it. Tossing it to the castle town's wall, it landed at the very end of the bridge.

There was confusion among the unholy army, as the bomb had landed nowhere near any of them. It wasn't until Link had thrown another that the intentions became clear. Scrambling, they rushed for the side of the bridge which indicated unpopulated land, perhaps to bring them closer to their benefactor the King. They were too slow, as a powerful blast took out one end of the bridge, Link standing in the middle and reaching into his bag with a look of complete calm. The stone structure that joined the two bodies of land shook and bucked, the balance thrown off until the other bomb exploded, taking the entire bridge from its support and allowing it to fall instantly down into the abyssal canyon.

The stone began to buckle further as it fell, falling apart thanks to the tremors from the explosion and corruption of its equillibrium. As it crumbled, Link pushed himself off of it, casting forth his Longshot and firing it at the edge of the cliff. The hook struck firm clay, digging itself in and managing to support Link's weight with ease. As he left the falling bridge, he could sense the dread in the minds of the evil he had cast down. It felt good to inspire such fear...

While he let the handheld device crank him up, Link still felt a growing warmth on his back, which now seemed more like a flame than a calming hand. Still, he decided not to pay any mind to it, attributing it to his own growing powers.

(Ganondorf)

His first assault had been something of a trick. His fist was pulled back as if to deliver a punch, but as he landed from his leap, he ducked down and thrust a heavily booted foot into the gut of the Crimson King, a purple explosion of flames coming forth from the contact. A soft grunt was all he was rewarded with, as the larger king had stumbled a step back but used his free hand to catch the magically enhanced foot and hold it against his stomach. With a twist, Ganondorf jerked himself free to roll to the side, standing quickly and putting himself in a defensive stance.

"You do have power within you, King of Hyrule. More power, of course, than your failed advisor Grindol." As if recalling the power of the earlier assault, the speaker dusted off one of his heavy shoulder plates with his again-free hand. "But...Do you understand what power I control? Wisdom...Power...Courage...That is the spread of the Triforce's energy. The shadows each of them cast...That is what I have brought to your kingdom. Wisdom enables deception...Power enables destruction...and Courage can only be shown in the face of fear. Deception, Fear, and Destruction..." He casts his hand forth with his fingers outstretched, indication Ganondorf. "You are no match for such hopelessness. I feed upon it."

Ganondorf still could not find himself comfortable under the gaze of his opponent, and the feel of his boot upon the other's armor had been more painful than he estimated. His armor was unlike anything the King of Thieves had seen or felt before, and that was unusual in itself. He considered himself a master of all things enchanted and empowered. While he could not assume he had seen it all, he was fairly certain of the limits of magical tampering. Apparently he had been wrong.

The Crimson King, hand still outstretched, turned his arm and brought his hand up to reveal the back of it again. "The presence of the Triforce--the entire Triforce--In such close proximity is urging them all to come together. I can feel them being pulled to me...And all I must do to collect is slay those who currently carry them." As he finished speaking, his fingers closed one at a time, into a fist. A sudden burst of power surged forth and collided with Ganondorf, sending him back a good twelve yards, but despite being overpowered, he landed on his feet and shot a determined glance toward his attacker.

Bringing his own hand up, a charge of black energy gathered itself in Ganondorf's palm. He breathed deep of its essence, and its power only continued to grow. The Crimson King scarcely had enough time to react as the energy instantaneously closed the distance and exploded directly in his face. The great king was sent barreling backward, his heavy armor suddenly becoming a hinderance as he struck the ground hard, flat on his back. A tremendous roar came from within his throat and he brought himself back to standing slowly. "That...was painful..." His eyes looked to Ganondorf to find himself suddenly less confident. Perhaps the Lord of Darkness was more powerful than he thought.

Ganondorf allowed himself to smirk at the look in the Crimson one's eyes, pulling himself back together for another assault of the exact same variety. Again it struck home on its target, and again the Crimson King felt himself knocked to the ground. "Your arrogance...It exceeds even my own. To invade upon my kingdom and expect to brush me aside? You forget who you're dealing with, boy..." He bit back his word as he realized his opponent was back on his feet and holding his dread blade in both hands, turning it in a slow circle.

"Boy...? You speak as if you have experience in this world...You know nothing if not foolishness and defeat. How many times have you been cast into a prison of light?" The heavily armored warrior continued to bring his blade in a slow, lazy arc, completing a circle a few times. "Far too many...But have you ever felt a prison of darkness? Known the cold embrace of your own power?" As he spoke, the blade Xaxas began to gather energy from the Crimson King's armor, bringing out the magical assault that had struck it. "The marriage of a warrior and his blade...Truly beautiful. It knows my pain, and knows precisely how to replicate it." He then thrusts the blade forth and casts out an attack double that of Ganondorf's, both of his assaults combined into one and traveling toward the original sender.

The King of Hyrule brought up both hands to catch the assault, having quite a bit of experience with his own magic. "As I said..." the ball of pure darkness struck his fingertips hard, but did not overtake him. Instead, the lightly glowing yellow runes on his armor grew brighter, and the energy began to shrink in his hands. "I am not so easily cast aside. You are powerful, Crimson King...but I have powers of my own, and you seem to think you have something I do not." Bringing his hand up to show off his two Triforce segments, his grin was quite wicked indeed.

The small, sniveling advisor looked in awe as the two exchanged assaults, neither of them seeming to have the upper hand at the moment. He had sensed great power in his original master, but he had never seen him truly call it out. Although it inspired awe in the elderly wizard, he knew that his true king was giving it all he had. There was no room for improvement upon such a powerful assault. The Crimson one, however, seemed to have barely tapped into his strengths. 'Either way this ends, it will not turn out good for me...I've betrayed both of them...' He sat on the ground and curled himself into a protective shield; all he could manage in his weakened state, and not nearly enough to protect him from the energies at work, but it was all he could manage to avoid losing his mind.

(Great Fairy)

Sitting upon nothing but air, the beautiful woman had a worried look about her face. She knew she could not actually do anything to aid the conflict, powerless in all things unless enabled by another. She was a guardian in the purest sense of the word. She was only capable of protecting, no more, and her champion needed no protection she could offer. Her champion...He had been sent away to fight off the evil, but she knew the dangers it meant. The ancient prophecy spoke of a tremendous evil rising from the ashes of the ultimate conflict. She could feel the powers converging in the direction of the castle, and ven as she sighed and thought of her precious hero, she knew he was in grave danger if he did not recall his true self. Turning in the air uncomfortably for the hundredth time since he left, she let her eyes close and she prayed to the creators that it would not happen as she feared it would.

(Link)

He had sensed the danger, felt the powers rushing back and forth, and knew the conflict was becoming destructive. If not for those fighting, it was causing immense damage to the surrounding world. Nothing too physical, but something in the balance of things was being thrown off. He knew there was a darkness about this mysterious invader, but there was a lack of form in it. Something was clearly missing, although he had no idea what. Carrying himself on sure legs, he managed to reach the conflict before another cataclysmic blast of power could be conjured.

His arrival had an instant effect on the combatants, as each of them sent him a look of disbelief. Something about him had made even the Crimson King think twice before speaking, despite his usually careless and often mocking tone. "You...The Hero of Time...You've come to complete the circle..." He brought his blade forth, completely forgetting about Ganondorf for the time being.

Ganondorf himself was simply baffled at the young man's arrival. Surely he could not have vanquished the Crimson King's legendary soldiers. 'Then again, I've doubted him in the past...and it has gotten me nowhere.' He found no words, and his attention diverted to the one who had spoken so solemnly. Coming from him, Ganondorf felt a chill run down his already icy spine. He was not used to feeling such unease and what could only be called fear, and he certainly did not like that it had been so frequent lately.

"The Triforce is here...And one of us shall complete it. I know only that it cannot be me..." The Crimson King placed his sword in the ground, causing a fissure to crack through the ground headed straight for Link. "But I'll be damned if I don't fight to prove the treacherous Gods wrong!" The boy in green swiftly dove to the side, the fissure curving without slowing down in order to follow him along. Without missing a step, he took up running, keeping pace with the rapidly approaching crevice which closed itself shortly after the power within it had moved from the ground. This attack was not meant to be scarring, but Link didn't have any desire to be swallowed whole into the earth with no hope of escape as it moved more swiftly toward him.

Ganondorf took his opportunity and leaped forth, his fist glowing with a black energy. As the Crimson King focused on Link, the only chance to get a good hit was to do it by surprise. 'All's fair..' He thought to himself as his fist found its mark directly underneath the Crimson King's armored chin, aiming to knock the helmet off. A surge of pain coursed through the arm that struck, as an apparent side effect of the armor's enhancements, but the blow followed through cleanly. The fissure stopped short as a grunt filled the air with demonic intensity. True pain was evident in the sound as the blood red helmet sailed through the air, seperated from the rest of the armor with the intensity of the blow.

All eyes were on the Crimson King as the helmet struck the ground...For where his head should've been there was only blackness. A pure black face with glowing red eyes, he had no noticable features. His skin seemed to burn darkness...Link gasped with sudden recognition. 'The only features that give the being any sort of humanity are the glowing red eyes...'

He recalled a battle that was far too recent...A shadowy copy of himself. What could only be known as Dark Link. So...perhaps this Crimson King was the dark side of the Lord of Darkness? Or perhaps something more. 'He seems old...ancient even. He spoke of the Gods. He speaks of darkness. He speaks of opposites. The Triforce's pieces were created by the Gods...perhaps, then, the darkness left from their light brought itself into this form...' The possibilities coursed through his mind. Whatever he was, Link was fairly certain that letting it continue on its chosen path would spell doom for everyone.

Even as all this had gripped him, the heat on his back was becoming scalding, almost angry...The Master Sword was begging to be used.

(Ending line!)

I was in a writing mood. Maybe it sucks, maybe it doesn't. I don't know, so tell me! Reviews are more than welcome! 


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